Deliver Me
by klepto-maniac0
Summary: A certain guardian comes back from the dead to save Yuna from herself, but that's not the only thing he has to protect her from... Chapter 34 now posted!
1. Guardian Angel

Just going back and trimming up the old drafts a little bit. Nothing major's going down. Unless the formatting starts being stupid again... 

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Deliver Me 

This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.

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Summary: In a fit of melancholy, Yuna decides to end it all. Who comes to her rescue but a certain guardian from the past?

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One week after Yuna's speech

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Yuna stood chest-deep in the waters of Lake Macalania, pressing her hands over her heart in a vain attempt to keep her grief at bay. Tears flowed freely down her face, but Yuna did not sob. Like a beautiful doll she stared blankly ahead, her eyes not seeing anything but the fleeting, ghostlike image of her beloved that her power as a summoner had allowed her to conjure here, in this place of pyreflies. The ethereal image of Tidus flickered before her eyes, despite her efforts to make it stay still, make it solidify. She could see his sparkling eyes, the mischievous smile on his full lips…

When she had banished the fayth, he had begun to vanish right before her eyes. Pain locked her throat, as Yuna remembered how she had not been able to hold him even one last time. When he had walked through her, Yuna had felt the beautiful touch of his soul. He loved her. Tidus loved her.

And she loved him. They were not supposed to be apart—things weren't supposed to happen this way.

The image of pyreflies moved, holding its arms out to her.

"Tidus…" She whispered hoarsely and stepped deeper into the water, holding her hands out to touch the image she had made. But her hands passed through the insubstantial body and a wave of fresh tears flowed out from Yuna's reddening eyes. Sobbing quietly, her hands balled in frustration, Yuna looked down into the water, and let her gaze wander to the large blade that she held in her left hand. A Waterstrike weapon, it blended in almost too well with the waters of Lake Macalania.

Yuna lifted the heavy weapon up, the water helping her support it one handed. Tidus had used this sword, she remembered. It had been his weapon of choice, even after he'd attained his Caladbolg, his Celestial Weapon. Now, it was all she had left of him. Yuna's tears touched the shimmering blade, sliding down its razor edge before disappearing into the crystalline water.

Yuna looked up at the pyrefly image, which had somehow attained an expression of worry on its translucent face. Yuna reached up, and pretended to touch the anxious features.

"It's okay." She whispered, smiling. "It'll be all right."

Yuna glanced down at the weapon. Its sharp edge gleamed in the moonlight.

"It'll be all right." Yuna repeated as she slowly turned the blade toward herself and pressed the point into her chest.

The weapon slid in almost too easily and for a moment, Yuna wondered if she had hurt herself at all. Then the hilt thunked dully against her breastbone and Yuna looked down, oddly gratified to see only the slender handle of the Brotherhood sword sticking out of her chest. Yuna began to feel faint, and she closed her eyes as her body slowly relaxed and sank beneath the surface of the water.

She did not see the pyrefly image lunge for her with its mouth open in a silent and horrified scream.

Slowly the young summoner drifted down through the waters of the lake, trailing a crimson stream of her lifeblood as she moved down toward the bottom of the lake.

"Tidus…" Yuna whispered his name and a stream of bubbles flew away from her mouth, carrying her life away from her as she sank without resistance into the chilling waters. She settled on the lake bottom, breathing quietly and not caring that her body took in water instead of air. Tidus had given her air when she had sunk beneath the water; he had given her the kiss of life when they had sank beneath the water. When he had died, that life had been taken from her.

(I'm already dead.)Yuna thought as water invaded her lungs and began to stab her lungs unmercifully, adding to the pain of her broken heart and brutally torn soul. (This is nothing. It'll be all right.)

She opened her eyes and thought she could vaguely see the pyrefly image above her, waving frantically at her. Yuna smiled weakly.

(It'll be all right.)

Her vision began to blur, then cloud with crimson as blood began to taint the crystalline waters. As if realizing that Yuna was at the point of no return, the stabbing pains in her chest ebbed away, becoming only faint needles as Yuna breathed out one more time, sending her last bubbles of air spiraling toward the surface. She closed her eyes. In a moment, it would be over. Her pain would be gone…

And she would be with Tidus again…

"Tidus…" She mouthed silently as she felt her body die.

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Was he too late?

He could see her lying on the lake bottom, shrouded in a mantle of blood that spread out from her like some ghastly, hellish flower. She was staring up at the sky with eyes that were dulling with death. There were no more bubbles rising from her mouth—he had to move fast.

He swam as swiftly as he could through the water, his still insubstantial body lending him speed that no living thing could match. Within an instant he was at Yuna's side, kneeling on the lake's floor as he gazed at her almost lifeless face. Carefully he scooped her up, his solidifying arms pressing her against his still forming chest. Lightly he sprang up from the lake bottom, swimming toward the surface, toward the air that would give Yuna life, and toward the pyreflies that would lend him more substance. He could only move so fast with a partially complete body.

His head broke the surface of the water and he gasped, taking only one gulp for himself before pulling Yuna into the lifesaving air. Hurriedly he held Yuna's head above the water as he swam for shore, lying on his back and swimming with her limp body on top of him so they could both breathe. He could feel her soft body through her wet clothes, but forcefully steered himself away from that line of thought. He had to save her. It was his duty to save her.

He hit the bank and stood up, pulling Yuna onto dry land. He set Yuna down on the ground, laying her flat as carefully as he could. Breathing slightly from his exertions, he nonetheless set to work, critically eyeing the sword in her chest that was the main problem. Normally, he would have simply pulled it out, but there were the problems of Yuna losing an incredible amount of blood, and of the barb in the Brotherhood sword ripping the inside of her body. He thought frantically, searching madly for a solution.

"Why?" He asked out aloud, looking at Yuna with bewilderment in his voice.

Seeing no other way, he grabbed the sword and drew it out as quickly as possibly, pressing the dull side of the blade as far up as it could go so the barb on the sword would not wound her further. Luckily the blade came easily out, and he cast it hurriedly to one side as blood veritably exploded out of her wound, staining the sand underneath her and the yellow obi she wore.

Hastily he waved his hand in the air, and the pyreflies around him reacted to his need, forming an X-Potion in his hand. As he poured the healing elixir on her, he heard the voice of Lord Braska crying out.

(Don't let her die!)

(I won't!) He promised fervently as the wound on her chest magically healed and the blood in the sand and on her clothes seemed back into her body. He breathed a small sigh of relief; so she was not in danger of bleeding to death. But there was still drowning to take care of.

Quickly but carefully he pressed down on her breastbone to pump the water out. When she did not breathe he pressed his mouth against hers and blew air forcefully into her body, willing her to move, willing her to live.

(I'm her guardian—I can't fail her. She can't die.) He thought frantically. (She can't die.)

He pressed her chest again, and this time he felt movement underneath his gloved hands as she coughed once, and then turned on her side, retching up the water that she had swallowed. He watched her quietly as he concentrated on bringing the nearby pyreflies to him, weaving the sparkling growths into his body until he was a solid being once more. He glanced down at his hands; they were opaque now.

Clearing his throat, he caught her attention, and spoke her name.

"Yuna?"

He saw her freeze, and then turned slowly to face him. Her eyes widened; her mouth opened; and despite the fact that she had been almost dead a few minutes before she lunged for him, grabbing at his clothes.

"Sir Auron?" She gasped.

He nodded once, calmly noting her eyes were starting to look slightly unfocused. As she passed out without fanfare into his lap, Auron caught her and picked her up easily, carrying her in his arms. Quietly he turned and walked off into the woods.

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Author's note:

Wahahaha! Interesting twist, d'ya think? I bet quite a few of you were expecting Tidus. Sorry to disappoint you.

Read and review! I love it, and what's better, sometimes I respond. Ooh, incentive.

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	2. Comfort and Discomfort

Deliver Me 

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This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.

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Summary: Comfort in the arms of one most unlikely.

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Bevelle

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Sometimes Yuna could wake up instantly, just sit right up and not feel the least bit tired. She had been like that on pilgrimage. More and more, though, waking had been a chore, almost like swimming up through layers of consciousness before she finally reached the dry state of 'awake'. This was one of those times. Yuna woke up slowly hours later and for a long time wondered if she had been dreaming. Had she really tried to kill herself? Had Auron really come to her rescue? It all seemed so surreal now...

Yuna turned slightly and blinked when she saw two brilliant green, spiraled pupils staring into her eyes.

"EEK!" Yuna shrieked in surprise and Rikku reared back, moving so fast that she pitched backwards in her chair and whacked her head on the floor. However, that did not stop the young Al Bhed girl from immediately bouncing up and throwing her arms around her cousin.

"YUNIE!" She cried, bursting into tears. "You're alive!"

(Alive?) Yuna repeated in her mind as she patted Rikku's back reassuringly. So she really HAD tried to kill herself then. Yuna blinked, and found to her surprise that she was surprisingly calm. But then again, she was suicidal, not hysterical.

"Rikku, please be gentle with her." Lulu's husky voice drifted through the air and the two girls looked up to see the older woman walk stately into the room, her usually stoic expression warming up almost instantly when she saw Yuna sitting up.

"Yuna!" Lulu almost ran over and hugged her the way Rikku had done, but she settled for a rather quick walk and a gentle stroke on Yuna's hair.

"What happened?" Rikku demanded, letting go of the summoner and leaning back. There was anxiety all over her face. "You had us really worried, you know? You were out for a whole week!"

"Was I?" Yuna asked blankly. Then she remembered her manners. "I'm so sorry for,"

"You're alive. That's all that matters." Lulu said gently, smiling at her.

Yuna looked around and blinked when she recognized the room. She was back in Bevelle, back in the quarters that she, as the current Grand Maestress of Spira, now possessed in Maester Mika's demise.

"Who brought me here?" Yuna asked, looking at her two friends curiously. She saw a strange expression cross their faces as the two women glanced at each other, sharing a 'should we tell' look. Yuna spoke up, looking at the two of them. "Please, I must know."

"You sure, Yunie?" Rikku asked slowly, looking worriedly at her. "I'm still kind of freaked out myself…Even Lulu's a little scared!"

Lulu nodded, anxiety evident on her pale, pretty face.

Yuna nodded with a small smile. "I'm sure I want to know."

"All right…" Rikku said dubiously, glancing at Lulu again. "It was…It was…"

"It's very hard to believe, Yuna." Lulu interrupted. "Are you sure you don't want to wait for a little while?"

"Yes." Yuna nodded.

Lulu and Rikku glanced at each other again, obviously not wanting to broach the subject. A little irritated at their hesitation, Yuna guessed, "Was it Sir Auron?" When identical expressions of shock on Lulu and Rikku's faces told Yuna that her guess was right. Yuna turned to get out of her bed, saying, "I'd like to speak with him."

"Moving right now isn't wise." A deep male voice chided. The three women looked up to see Auron leaning in the doorway, watching Yuna with his customary expression of indifference.

Rikku sprang up. "Hey, you're not supposed to walk into a girl's room!"

Auron looked down at the floor and tapped the boundary of the room with one foot. The carpet of the room was a deep navy blue and contrasted starkly with the white and tan tiles of the hall Auron stood in. Clearly he was not in the room.

"Don't scare us like that." Lulu said sternly, rising to her feet and fixing Auron with a light glare.

"How do you feel?" Auron asked, looking directly at Yuna.

The young summoner blushed, feeling doubly flustered for his piercing, eagle-like stare and for the fact that he had seen her suicide attempt. The fact that he was somehow, miraculously alive once more did not really register as fantastic or frightening in her mind.

(Maybe if Sir Auron is alive, then Tidus…)

"How do you feel?" Auron repeated patiently, jerking her from her thoughts.

"Fine." Yuna almost whispered, looking suddenly down at her blanket.

Auron grunted quietly. Whether he believed her or not, Yuna could not tell.

"I'd like to speak with Yuna alone." Auron said pointedly, glancing from Rikku to Lulu.

"Umm…" Rikku bit her lip before nodding quickly and skipping out of the room. Lulu disfavored Auron with a hard glare as she swished by him with a musical chiming of her hair ornaments.

"Don't you tax her," Lulu said warningly before disappearing from sight.

"She means well." Yuna said apologetically as Auron walked into her room and shut the door behind him.

"I know." Auron said, walking over to her bed and sitting down. "She was very worried about you." As he looked piercingly into her eyes, the legendary guardian changed the subject and asked bluntly, "Care to tell me why you thought about suicide?"

Yuna suddenly found her blanket enormously interesting.

Auron noticed her none-too-subtle evasion and pursued the subject. "You wanted to be with Tidus, didn't you?"

Yuna fiddled with her coverlet.

She jumped slightly when Auron took her face in his hands and made her look at him. His weathered face wore an expression of annoyance, and looked just as callous as his hands felt.

"What were you thinking?" He asked sharply. "There is nothing to be gained from suicide. Contrary to what you might think, death does not bring happiness and release from pain. I am a walking example of that."

Yuna gulped; she had somehow forgotten that Auron was actually dead. How could she have forgotten, especially when she had sent him herself? Perhaps it was because he felt so warm…

But the heat that the aged guardian seemed to emanate in waves did nothing to warm the cold and steely edge of his deep voice.

"Dying to be with your loved one is a stupid romantic notion spawned by playwrights who have too much time on their hands. It never works that way in real life. Do you understand, Yuna?"

The close contact made Yuna defensive, and she replied sharply, "What's wrong with wanting to be with the one you love?"

Auron dropped his hands from her face. "The thing that's wrong with it is that you don't yet realize that you can't act on such a selfish desire."

"Selfish?" Yuna protested.

Auron gave her a sharp look, which silenced her immediately. "Yes, selfish." He leaned a bit closer to her and lowered his voice, stressing his point. .

"Everyone stayed up, waiting for you to regain consciousness. Kimahri left your side only an hour ago, and that was to get something to eat, his first meal in three days. Wakka and Lulu have sat by you hours at a stretch. Rikku talked to you and did all sorts of crazy things to try and wake you up." Auron narrowed his eyes. "You didn't even give a second thought to your friends, did you? You didn't think of what would happen to the ones you would leave behind. And not just them, either. Spira depends on you now, doesn't it?"

Yuna felt a hot flush of shame rise in her face and guiltily she tried to look away, but Auron caught her again and turned her to face him with a gentle push of his hand. When he spoke again, it was in a much gentler tone, and Yuna found that she could look into his face. His single eye was filled with sympathy. He spoke softly, prompting Yuna to lean closer to hear his words. "I know how it is to lose someone you care about. To see them go right before you, and not be able to do a thing about it. I know all too well."

He paused for a moment and cast his gaze to the side, lost momentarily in his memories. Now that she was so close to him, Yuna could see the pained expression Auron's face took as he quietly replayed the memories of her father, Braska, in his mind. A great wave of sympathy washed over her, and Yuna felt the tears in her eyes grow as a sudden ache in her chest began to make itself known. Was it sympathy pain? Or was she missing her father as well? Couldn't it be both?

"But Yuna," Auron's one eye focused on her again and startled her out of her thoughts with its sudden intensity. His gaze was as piercing as one of his massive swords. "You're not alone." He said slowly. "Everyone has pain like yours. Everyone has lost something precious."

The repetition of her own words struck a chord in Yuna's soul and she looked away once more, unable to look at her guardian face to face.

"You must live through your pain." Auron said softly, turning her to face him once again. "If you don't—" He paused before saying slowly, "Then you will shame Tidus."

Yuna blinked, making the growing tears in her eyes wobble. The pain in her heart flared briefly, sending a sharp pain through her body. Auron was right, she realized as she pressed her hands to her aching chest, which threatened to explode with sobs.

Auron continued. "He always wanted you to live, even if he didn't. That's why he fought Yu Yevon, knowing that he would disappear."

For a moment, Yuna found herself reliving the torturous memory of the last time she had ever seen Tidus. When they had been unable to embrace even one last time… Yuna recalled the way he had put his arms around her, letting her know that he was there, even though they could no longer touch.

Almost wailing, the distraught young woman collapsed onto Auron and began to cry. For a moment he tensed, startled and nonplussed, but when Yuna did nothing but weep, Auron softened and quietly took her into his arms, holding her while she had her first good cry since Tidus's death.

"It's not supposed to be this way…" Yuna sobbed, her frail body shaking with the depth of her emotion. "He wasn't supposed to go…"

Auron quietly stroked her hair, his silence the best answer to her words.

"He promised he'd stay with me forever!" Yuna wailed, suddenly throwing her arms around Auron and hugging him tightly. Once again, the older man tensed, but it was more reflex than anything else and he quickly relaxed, going back to quietly stroking her hair and saying nothing at all.

For a long time, Yuna clung to Auron in desperation, freely crying out the grief and pain that had haunted her ever since Tidus's death, things that she hadn't been able to express in front of even her closest friends.

(They wouldn't have understood,) she thought sadly. (They wouldn't know how it feels to have a hand in the death of the one who means the most to you.)

Sniffling, she looked up at Auron, who felt her movement and turned to look at her, the pain and sorrow that she felt reflected in his gaze. This close to him, Yuna could see that time had not been kind to him. Harsh lines of suffering were etched in his weathered face, making his handsome visage hard and forbidding. One eye had been slashed shut by a long scar that came down from his hairline to almost his jaw, making him look like the survivor of some wild animal fight. His black hair was streaked with bands of white that made him appear to be decades older than he actually was, and the sadness that weighed on him like a millstone added more years to his already aged appearance. He had never looked this old before, Yuna realized. At least, not to her. Sniffling, Yuna pressed her face into the warmth of his shoulder.

"Thank you." She said simply, her voice muffled but clear.

His only reply was a nod and a small, brief smile she couldn't see.

Yuna leaned back and looked into his weathered face, quietly nothing how much gentler Auron looked now that she could see all of his face. With her gaze she traced the faint remains of laugh lines on his harsh visage—he had used to smile often, Yuna realized. She wondered what Auron looked like when he was happy.

She was startled when Auron slid off her bed and got to his feet, unhooking her arms from around his neck.

"I think I should go." Auron said softly.

"Why?" Yuna asked, tilting her head.

"Because I don't want people getting ideas." He said seriously. "I don't really care about my reputation, but yours,"

It was Auron's turn to be startled as Yuna reached out and grabbed the sleeve of his robe, pulling him back so quickly that he sent the air whooshing out of her down coverlets when he sat back down.

"I don't care about my reputation either." Yuna said in just as serious a tone, her varicolored eyes regarding him solemnly. There was something about her that made Auron feel slightly uncomfortable and in more ways that one.

"What do you mean?" He asked suspiciously as she slid over to him and embraced him once more. The older man tensed, feeling the sudden urge to spring away as he found Yuna's feminine attributes pressed up against his chest. His mouth went dry as she snuggled up against him. Auron's hands twitched slightly. Heat began to rise in his face as he suddenly realized just how close she was. Yuna couldn't see the discomfort in his face, thanks to his collar and dark glasses, but sooner or later she was going to find out just how much he was, erm…enjoying the contact. Auron felt a powerful ache make itself known in his body, one that would only be appeased by holding Yuna, and doing what he so desperately wanted to do…

(I cannot entertain thoughts like that.) Auron told himself sternly and gave himself a sound mental kick. And yet it was hard not to think that way with Yuna's soft, shapely body pressed up against his.

(What's she thinking?) Auron thought furiously as she nuzzled her face into the place where his collar and breastplate met. He could feel her soft breath on his neck, and a shiver raced over his skin. He had the sudden urge to grab her, hold her tightly, but he quickly shoved it away. However, it was much harder to push away the feeling of Yuna's warm body up against his, especially when he hadn't touched a woman in so very long.

(Doesn't she know this is inappropriate?) Auron thought angrily to himself and doing his best not to think bad thoughts on his part.

(Well, you certainly do.) Something in him said snidely. (But you're not doing a thing about it, are you?)

(Shut up!)Auron shot back.

Yuna's voice made him blink and break out of his thoughts.

"I don't want to be left alone just yet." Yuna murmured, her words a breathy caress on the sensitive skin of Auron's neck. Another shiver went through him. But hearing the soft, sad tone of her voice, Auron suddenly realized that Yuna had no idea what she was doing to him. She wanted comfort, and a shoulder to cry on. Well, he was there…

(Damn.)Auron thought uncomfortably.

Although he felt a great sense of foreboding doing so, Auron quietly placed his arms around Yuna's slender waist and hugged her back, being careful not to press her any more tightly against his body than she already was. Why hadn't he felt this way the last time he had hugged her scarce moments before? Auron suddenly noticed that Yuna was shaking ever so slightly. She was still so upset, so sad…

As much as he wanted to go, Auron realized he could not leave Yuna while she was feeling like this. No one should have to face such raw grief alone; besides, she had tried to kill herself once. Auron wasn't sure that she wouldn't try it a second time.

(Best to stay around then,) he thought resignedly. (Best to stay until she can hold her grief alone.)

And screw however he felt about her.

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Author's note:

How Auron feels is not what you expect. Trust me, it ain't. However, if you think you've got the right idea about what's going on, give me a reply via the 'review' button. I used to have a contest going on as to who would get the right answer, but that's already been won. Sorry, new readers.

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	3. Thoughtful Interlude

Deliver Me 

This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.

Summary: Lulu and Auron have an insightful talk.

Hours later Auron woke up, finding himself leaning on the wall that Yuna's bed was up against. He looked down and found the young summoner dozing peacefully in his lap, the only movements of her delicate body being the soft heaving of her sides as she breathed. Idly he put one hand on her head and stroked her hair, feeling its fineness and silken quality with a soft and gentle touch. Her hair, Auron realized, was the same color as Braska's.

He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall. Braska had fallen asleep on him once like this too—they had been in Kilika and somehow Braska had gotten some kind of tropical disease. Jecht and Auron had had to take care of him right in the middle of the woods, the Lord Ochu having barred their path with its huge body. Back then, Braska had been flailing in his sleep, and fearing for his safety, his two guardians had taken turns letting Braska use them as his pillow, so at least Braska's head wouldn't whack the ground and cause some sort of irreversible brain damage. Having Yuna sleeping in his lap brought back a feeling of nostalgia and Auron found his one good eye suddenly moist with tears. He tilted his head back further, trying not to let them fall.

The door to Yuna's room opened quietly and Auron looked ahead to see Rikku peeking hesitantly in. Her eyes flicked down to Yuna, who was curled up with one arm around Auron's waist and with her other hand hiding her mouth. For a moment, the young Al Bhed didn't know what to think, especially since Auron seemed to be stroking Yuna's hair in a somewhat absent-minded way. And were there tears in Auron's eye? No, impossible! The elder guardian cry? Rikku shook her head slightly and turned her focus back to Yuna.

"How is she?" Rikku whispered, tiptoeing in.

"She'll be fine." Auron murmured, his low voice quiet.

"Cool." Rikku grinned. "I'll go tell Lulu—she's been having a fit out there, waiting for you to come out."

Auron looked down at Yuna, who snuggled closer to him. "That is quite impossible at the moment." He said dryly.

Rikku snickered. "You guys look so cute." She said teasingly.

Auron glared at her as she turned and slipped quietly out of the room. A few moments later, Lulu appeared in the door and walked in, the only sounds she made being the clicking of her many beads and hair ornaments.

"I told you not to tire her." Lulu said accusingly as she sat down in a nearby chair and folded her arms underneath her amble chest. Her husky voice was naturally quiet.

"She was tired to begin with." Auron replied dryly, feeling more than slightly uncomfortable. There was something about Lulu that had always made him raise his guard. Perhaps it was because she looked at the world out of only one eye like he did, and seemed to possess the same piercing gaze.

Lulu looked down at Yuna. "She seems to be resting peacefully." The dark-haired woman commented, tilting her head. "What did you say?" She asked, her ruby-colored eye flicking up to look at him.

Auron shrugged. "Things."

Lulu looked at him steadily as if expecting to say more, but when he stayed silent she simply shrugged her exposed shoulders, threatening to free her impressive décolletage from the corset she wore.

"Well…whatever you're doing, keep at it." Lulu said, looking at him sidewise. "This is the first peaceful sleep she's had in a while."

"Oh?"

"She cried herself to sleep many times." Lulu continued, tilting her head and sending her long braids swishing. "She tried not to let us hear—but Kimahri's ears are sharp, and he has a free mouth when things concern Yuna."

Auron nodded, knowing of Kimahri's protectiveness toward Yuna.

Lulu paused for a moment before looking at Auron. "Are you staying around, then?"

"Staying for what?" Auron asked, his voice calm.

"Her." Lulu nodded at Yuna.

Auron looked down at the sleeping summoner. "I suppose." He admitted.

"I see." Lulu looked at him steadily, her ruby gaze searching. Auron felt her looking at him and met her eyes.

"You have something to ask me." He stated, looking at her.

"I do." Lulu replied, her painted lips pouting slightly when she said the word 'do'. "How is it that you're alive, Sir Auron?"

"I'm not." He replied. "But if you refer as to why I'm back again,"

"Precisely."

"Then it's because of Yuna." Auron finished.

The one eyebrow Auron could see was raised ever so slightly. "Really?" Lulu's husky voice took on a bit of a purr.

"What about Yuna made you come back?" Lulu asked.

Auron looked at Yuna again. "She is my summoner. I am to protect her at all costs."

"You would defy a sending and the Farplane to keep Yuna safe?" Lulu asked, her usually stoic voice showing surprise.

Auron nodded.

"Why would you give up your eternal rest for that?" Lulu asked, frowning.

Auron paused for a long moment before he finally muttered. "I…I failed to protect Braska…"

"So you're making up for it with his daughter?" Lulu asked, leaning back in the chair.

"I suppose." He said dubiously. "I don't want to have anyone die in vain again, especially if I have something to say about it."

"I see…wait, what do you mean, 'die in vain'?" Lulu asked, her tone sharpening. "Are you telling me that she tried to kill…" She shook her head.

"That's exactly what I'm saying." Auron replied.

Lulu looked at Yuna with shock and sadness in her gaze. "Dear…I didn't think…I never imagined…"

"It's all right, Lulu." Auron reassured. He was being extremely sympathetic today, he thought with amusement. "No one could have seen how much Tidus's death hurt her."

"But to commit suicide…" Lulu shook her head, making her ornaments cling and chime.

Auron waited as Lulu reached out and stroked Yuna's hair, her smooth and pale hand glancing over his hard and callused one.

"Even in my depths of despair, I never dreamed of suicide to join Chappu…" Lulu murmured. "Oh, Yuna…"

The black mage got to her feet and bowed respectfully to Auron.

"Thank you…for saving her when you did. So much depends on her now."

"I know." Auron said quietly.

Lulu sat back down and folded her arms again, tucking her hands into her bell-shaped sleeves. Auron waited for her to go, but the black-haired lady did not move.

"You have some more questions." He sighed tiredly.

"Oh, they're not that painful." Lulu said with a small smile. "But they're quite puzzling. How did you manage to break out of the Farplane and materialize where you were needed, especially in just the nick of time?"

Auron leaned his head back slightly and rubbed the place on his collar where his chin was. "Braska, Jecht, and Tidus helped push me out. Since Yuna was in Lake Macalania, it was easy for me to form a body since there are so many pyreflies in that area."

"I see." Lulu paused. "But why you? Surely Tidus,"

"Tidus could not come." Auron interrupted. "He is but a dream of the fayth. There are no longer fayth to support him, even should he break free of the Farplane." He paused. "Besides, I have more experience coming back from the dead."

Lulu nodded, but Auron could still see that something was troubling her.

"What?" He asked, a little annoyed at all her questions.

Lulu put one hand up to her face thoughtfully. "It must take a great deal of willpower to keep a pyrefly body together. Once out of the Farplane, you must retain your body, not to mention having to resist the sending that put you into the Farplane in the first place."

"True." Auron admitted.

"So, how is it that you managed to do all that just because you wanted to save Yuna?" Lulu finished, looking at him quizzically with her ruby eye.

Auron sighed. "I already told you. I didn't want her to die in vain."

"That can't be the only reason." Lulu said, frowning.

"I would also be failing my duty as a guardian." Auron added.

The pale woman considered. "Is your sense of duty that strong?"

Auron opened his mouth, but Lulu interrupted him. She spoke delicately but quickly, as if she were moving around a bomb with no timer that was nonetheless ticking.

"Everyone—and I mean Wakka and the others—thinks that you came back for another reason. Umm…sentimental ones."

Auron closed his mouth and frowned, trying to figure out what she meant. In a flash of insight, it hit him.

"You think I have romantic feelings for Yuna?" He asked, his tone sharp and cutting.

Lulu defensively flipped her long braids over her shoulder. "It was Rikku's idea."

"Don't throw the blame on someone else." Auron almost snapped. "What do you take me for, some kind of pedophile?"

"Who's blaming who now?" Lulu asked pointedly.

"I have the right to blame. You think I'm a dirty old man!" Although his voice was angry, Auron felt a hot rush of panic flush into his mind. He vividly recalled his lurid feelings for Yuna a few hours before, and shame was added to his fear. If anyone ever found out what had been going through his mind…

"It matters not what I think." Lulu said demurely, holding her head up high nonetheless.

"It matters to me!" He said heatedly. "You would think—"

Lulu took a deep breath and for a moment Auron was distracted by the sight of her heaving bosom. Apparently that was what she had in mind, because Lulu quickly said in a clipped and somewhat injured tone,

"You saved Yuna, and for that everyone is grateful. I am sorry that you are so offended by what we were thinking, but we were all postulating at the time, and not thoroughly believing our guesses. Besides, the fact remains that I still find it very hard to believe that you came back from the dead just to protect Yuna!"

She said all this in one breath, but did not seem to be any worse for it. Having said her piece, Lulu 'hmph'd' and looked away.

Auron's anger died down in the face of her very reasonable explanation and he regretted that he had lost his temper so easily. Besides, hadn't he said himself that he didn't care about his reputation?

_"But this isn't your reputation."_ A voice in his head pointed out. _"This is the opinion of people you trust and respect."_

And that had absolutely nothing to do with what people in general thought of him.

Yuna stirred and muttered something in her sleep, catching the attention of the two guardians present in the room.

"Sorry." Auron murmured after a while.

"Apology accepted." Lulu said evenly. She rose to her feet a second time and glanced at the clock in Yuna's room, a present from Cid. "We will be eating dinner in the dining hall in roughly an hour. Will you join us?"

"I suppose."

"Good. And wake Yuna up soon, please? She has to eat well, especially now." Lulu looked at Yuna in concern one more time before walking out of the room.

"Yes, especially now." Auron murmured to himself as Lulu left the room. He looked down at Yuna—she was still sleeping so deeply. He almost hated to wake her.

Well—Lulu had said 'roughly' an hour.

("I'll let her sleep a few more minutes…")

Author's note:

Hmm. More thoughtful than anything in this story thus far. Good change, or bad change?

I kind of typed this one in a hurry. Can you tell? Gimme a review with some suggestions if you can see something that'll make this thing better.


	4. The Right or Wrong Thing to Say

1 Deliver Me  
  
= = = = =  
  
This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.  
  
= = = = =  
  
Summary: Auron and Yuna talk.  
  
= = = = =  
  
Her pillow was moving.  
  
Yuna opened her eyes slowly as she breathed in and smelled the unique scent of cold metal and body-warmed leather that belonged to only one person. With a hot flush of shame, Yuna realized that she had fallen asleep on Sir Auron. And in his lap, no less, Yuna thought with chagrin as her varicolored eyes focused on the wide band he used to belt his scarlet robe down.  
  
"You're awake." He looked down at her, his stern face wearing some unreadable expression.  
  
"I'm sorry!" Yuna gasped, surging up into a sitting position.  
  
"It's all right." Auron said quickly, waving at her. "You were tired."  
  
"But I," Yuna became flustered and looked down at her skirt, worrying the fabric between her slender fingers. "I,"  
  
"It's all right." Auron repeated, sliding off the bed. "Let's go—it's dinnertime."  
  
"Oh! Already?" Yuna turned around to check the clock on her desk, her eyes widening in alarm. "Oh no!"  
  
As she jumped off the bed in a near panic, Auron couldn't help but chuckle. "Yuna…"  
  
"I didn't know I slept so long! Ohhh…!"  
  
She ran for the door and Auron winced when she tripped over her Nirvana staff and fell, sprawling in an almost unladylike fashion, onto the floor. Flustered, Yuna jumped to her feet and brushed herself off frantically.  
  
"Yuna." Auron called her name, his voice firm but not as harsh as it usually was. It caught her attention and as the young summoner turned, Auron patiently said, "There's no great hurry. Calm down."  
  
"Y-yes." She bowed quickly from the waist and walked toward the door more sedately. As she left, Auron went after her, but a flicker at the corner of his eye made him stop. Curious—the motion had been on his blind side. How could he have seen anything, Auron wondered. Nonetheless he turned and found himself looking into the bubbling surface of Tidus's Brotherhood sword.  
  
An expression of part disgust and part resignation flashed briefly across Auron's face before it was replaced by his usual impassive façade. Walking over to the hooked sword Auron picked it up, holding the lighter and shorter blade easily in one hand.  
  
"After what she's done, she still keeps the thing with her." Auron thought, turning the blade from side to side. "A testament to her love for him…"  
  
As he put the blade down, Auron thought, "She'd better not try suicide again. I might not get there fast enough."  
  
He turned to go, but there it was again, that odd flicker of motion. Auron turned to look at the sword and to his surprise Tidus waved to him. Auron blinked, then rubbed his eye. Surely there was some trick of the light that,  
  
No. He was still there. The young blonde blitzer was standing in his sword, his image small but perfect in every detail. Auron stared at the image for a while, trying to decide whether or not he was seeing things.  
  
"What are you doing in there?" Auron finally asked, sitting down in front of the sword. So what if he was losing his mind? He certainly wouldn't let it show.  
  
Tidus shouted, but Auron's sharp ears only caught the faintest bit of sound.  
  
"Warn…"  
  
"Warn me about what?" Auron asked, leaning closer to the blade.  
  
"See…" Tidus made a strange motion, putting his hands on top of his head and making a horn-like shape. Auron frowned.  
  
"A demon?" The older man guessed. Tidus shook his head furiously.  
  
The door opened and Auron looked up to see Yuna standing in the door.  
  
"Sir Auron?" She inquired. "Aren't you coming?"  
  
"In a bit." Auron replied. Her eyes flicked from him to the sword, and Auron glanced at the Brotherhood. Tidus was gone.  
  
"Umm…" Yuna stepped back into the room, closing the door lightly behind her. "I have a question…"  
  
Auron turned, still sitting on the floor. "Go ahead."  
  
Yuna nodded and looked around, searching for a place to sit. At last she opted to sit on the floor, like Auron. There was a good five feet of empty space between them.  
  
"Umm…" She looked down and began to worry at her skirt again. "If you have the answer…"  
  
Auron waited patiently.  
  
"Did…Tidus…?" Rather than finish her sentence, she looked up questioningly and the fragile hope in her eyes was almost too much for Auron to bear. The elder guardian looked away, not wanting to see her disappointment.  
  
"No." He said, his voice more gruff than he had intended it to be.  
  
"Oh."  
  
After a moment's silence Auron looked at Yuna to see how she was faring. Not surprisingly, she was still looking at the floor. Auron could not see the expression on her face for the curtain of her honey-brown hair, which fell in front of her and hid her visage from view.  
  
"Why didn't he come?" Yuna asked, her voice so soft that Auron almost didn't hear her. "Did he not want,"  
  
Auron interrupted her before she could come to any devastating and wholly incorrect conclusions. "There were no fayth to dream him. He would not have been able to come even if he had all the willpower in the world."  
  
"I see." Yuna's voice was still soft, but she sounded a bit stronger than before.  
  
A long moment passed between the two of them before Yuna made a discreet swipe at her eyes. Auron pretended not to notice.  
  
"He wanted to come, though." Auron added, trying his best to assuage her disappointment.  
  
He saw a smile flit over her wan features and felt a warmth seep throughout his entire body.  
  
Something flickered on his blind side once more and Auron turned discreetly to look at the Brotherhood sword. Tidus was there once more and he looked extremely pained.  
  
"Tell Yuna…" He shouted, but for some reason Auron couldn't catch his next words. He could, however, see the motion Tidus was making.  
  
"Yuna." Auron looked at the young summoner, who was beginning to rise.  
  
"Yes?" She asked, looking at him with varicolored eyes that were gleaming and bright.  
  
"Tidus loves you." Auron said solemnly, feeling an odd sort of responsibility weighing down on him. Yuna's eyes began to shimmer with tears as a small, trembling smile touched her lips.  
  
"I…I know." She said, looking down at her shoes. "I love him too."  
  
Auron turned slightly to glance at the sword. "Did you hear that?" Auron thought at the image of Tidus inside.  
  
Tidus nodded, a smile on his face. It wasn't his usual cocky grin. He looked genuinely happy.  
  
Auron felt an unreasonable pang of jealousy and envy twang sharply in his soul. Stiffly he looked away, keeping his thoughts to himself.  
  
"They're so damned lucky."  
  
In both life and death, Auron had had admiration, respect, friendship and trust. But in neither of the two states had he ever been in love. Or been loved. Rikku, it seemed, had liked him for a while—but Auron was pretty sure that her affection for him had been a passing fancy and nothing more. After all, weren't teenage girls prone to the occasional crush every now and then? Auron didn't know much about women, but even he knew that girls could be flippant when it came to matters of love.  
  
"Not Yuna, though." Auron thought, glancing at the young summoner. It was plain to see that she had loved Tidus with all her heart and soul, and would continue to love him for years to come. She would not be flippant.  
  
However, Auron couldn't help but wonder—Yuna had never had experience with romance in her life. Was her love for Tidus a real love on both sides, or something built up in her inexperienced heart? The same thoughts also applied to Tidus. Auron knew he was being extremely cynical, even by his standards, but he couldn't help but wonder.  
  
Yuna noticed her guardian gazing at her with yet another unreadable expression. A little confused, she tilted her head, blinking.  
  
"Sir Auron?" She asked. He blinked and looked at her.  
  
"Yes?" He asked.  
  
"Are you coming to dinner?" She inquired.  
  
He glanced behind his back, then nodded. "I don't really need to eat," He said, rising to his feet, "But I like the company."  
  
Yuna felt like smacking herself on the head. She kept forgetting that Auron was actually a dead man. Strange, considering she had sent him herself…  
  
"Lulu managed to chase the cooks out of the kitchen and make something to eat." Yuna said, looking on as the aged guardian stopped, winced, and rubbed an apparently sore spot on his back. She reflected. "Even though he's dead, he certainly doesn't act like it."  
  
"How old are you?" She blurted out suddenly, clapping her hands over her mouth at the sheer rudeness of the question.  
  
"Most men with white hair get so huffy when someone asks about their age! Oh, I hope Sir Auron doesn't get too offended!"  
  
Much to her relief, Auron only looked at her quizzically. "How old am I?" He inquired.  
  
Still feeling more than a little stupid, Yuna nodded.  
  
Auron stood up straight and looked up at the ceiling as if for reference. "It's been a while since I thought about age." He admitted, looking back at her. "I'm thirty five—give or take a few years."  
  
"Only?" Yuna couldn't stop herself from asking.  
  
Auron blinked. "You thought I was older?"  
  
"Well…" Yuna's hands dropped down from her face and began to twist nervously together.  
  
To her surprise, Auron chuckled lightly.  
  
"It's all right. You're not the only one to think I'm approaching my golden years."  
  
He rubbed the place on his collar where his chin would be, and added,  
  
"I can come back to life two times, and yet I can't do a single thing about my appearance."  
  
For some reason, this struck Yuna as funny and to her surprise she began to giggle. Auron blinked, looking at her in surprise before he too began to laugh quietly.  
  
"Oh dear." Yuna gasped. "I'm sorry…"  
  
"It's all right." Auron waved her off. "Stop apologizing. Let's go—don't want to keep the others waiting, right?"  
  
"Right." Yuna said with a smile as they began to walk out of the room. Neither of them say Tidus reappear in the Brotherhood blade, and start shouting again.  
  
"Damn it!" He swore as they left the room. "I forgot to tell him about Seymour!"  
  
= = = = =  
  
Author's note:  
  
Everyone, I have great news!  
  
For the last two years, I haven't gotten a birthday present from my dad. And because of that (and because he got a big fat raise!), he gave me my own laptop! Yes! Yes! Joy and happiness! And more writing. Heheheheh---I am no longer restricted by whether or not someone is using the main computer. I HAVE MY OWN! Wahahahahaha!  
  
Okay, I'm done ranting now.  
  
Thanks for reading this far. I'm sorry if it's starting off slow, but it will pick up soon, I swear!  
  
= = =  
  
Author's note:  
  
Sorry if I'm ticking you off with these, but I have to say something. Today I finally managed to get into your reviews and I have to say that they warmed me to the soul. I danced around my house singing praises to the people who have reviewed my story. Your wonderful compliments and comments have lifted my soul to heaven! They are my nourishing light and energy source! To each and every one of you who reviewed my story and said so, thank you, thank you, and thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have my sincerest gratitude and joy.  
  
= = = = = 


	5. Bad Ideas

1 Deliver Me  
  
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This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.  
  
= = = = =  
  
Summary: He's baaaaaack…  
  
= = = = =  
  
The Farplane, before the story started  
  
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With sharp, interested eyes Seymour watched Sir Auron break out of the Farplane. It looked easy enough—for some reason, the old guardian had really wanted out, and miraculously, he had gotten out. However, Seymour knew through personal experience that breaking out of the Farplane was not even half as easy as it seemed. Worse was the fact that he had been sent, and sent forcefully by the very strong-willed Yuna. Although he no longer had a body, he could feel the chains of the sending holding him down, binding him to the Farplane for the rest of time. Glancing at his arms, Seymour could see the deceptively thin chains of pyreflies that bound him to unseen points in the Farplane. He looked up at the place where Auron had vanished.  
  
"I can certainly do anything that old buzzard can!"  
  
With a deep sigh Seymour shut his eyes and sat quietly in the Farplane, his hands folded in his lap and his legs crossed in an impressive full lotus. An expression of extreme concentration appeared on his fine- featured face as he began to concentrate his mental strength. As he began to focus his energy on a single, pivotal point in his chains, a faint bluish aura wavered into being and began to flicker around him like a rising flame, wavering and breaking into pyreflies as it drifted around his body. His maestorial robes fluttered slightly in the face of his fierce meditation, but Seymour himself did not move at all. Sweat began to bead on his forehead as he found to his chagrin that the chains of the sending were as hard as ever to sever.  
  
"Why does this have to be so hard?"  
  
Breaking the sending, or at least trying to, was far more work than Seymour had ever anticipated. It required a tremendous amount of willpower, and only Seymour's strong desire to live kept him going, although he had been met with failure time and time again. Every time the young half-Guado thought was near to breaking out of the prison Yuna's will had built for him, he was shoved relentlessly back, and forced to start all over. He just had to have been sent by the person who had really, truly, with all her heart and soul, wanted to see him dead. Seymour cursed Yuna's strong will.  
  
"I don't like it." He heard a man—Tidus, he recognized with a sneer—say faintly, suspicion in his voice. "Seymour's been way too quiet lately."  
  
The harshest voice Seymour had ever heard replied to Tidus's words. "Aw, come on. So he hasn't wriggled around in a while. Big deal. Personally, I'm glad he ain't rattling his chains. And I'm even gladder he ain't talking. He's so goddamn annoying…"  
  
"You don't get it, old man." Tidus replied tersely. "He's up to something. I can feel it."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think yer still too uptight about this. Play some blitzball."  
  
"I think I'll keep an eye on Seymour."  
  
"Nah…I think you'll play blitzball. Let's go."  
  
"Hey! Hey! Let go of me! I'm FINE,"  
  
Seymour opened his eyes slightly just in time to see a dark-skinned man drag Tidus off, hauling him along quite cheerfully by the hood on Tidus's yellow shirt and ignoring Tidus's loud and extremely vocal protests. Seymour couldn't help but grin at the silly picture, but in that moment his concentration wavered and the next instant Seymour let out a snarl of frustration as his hard work vanished in a puff of mental smoke.  
  
"So CLOSE!" He raged, shaking his arms angrily. The thick chains of the sending tightened around him, binding him until he managed to calm himself.  
  
"Once again…" Seymour shut his eyes and was just about to kick up his struggle again when Lady Yunalesca appeared in front of him, clad in scarcely more than her long lavender hair. Her pale face bore an expression of mixed scorn and sympathy.  
  
"You won't get out, no matter how much you try." She said in her husky voice, putting one hand on one of her shapely hips.  
  
"So how come Sir Auron did?" Seymour demanded crossly, giving up his struggle for the moment to talk with the Lady. "How come I, who have come back to life four times, cannot escape while he manages to simply hop out as if he's crossing a line on the ground?"  
  
The Lady paused for a few moments, touching one hand to her face. Seymour sat patiently. "I suppose—" Yunalesca said thoughtfully after a while. "It was because he had help."  
  
Seymour looked at her sharply, frowning ever so slightly. "Help?"  
  
"Yes. It seemed that Braska, Jecht, and Tidus lent their wills to him, and gave him more than enough strength to escape."  
  
Seymour's eyes narrowed. "Then—if I were to obtain some assistance, breaking out of the Farplane would be much easier, would it not?"  
  
He glanced at the faintly shimmering chains of pyreflies that bound him down to the Farplane, the deceptively thin strands that refused to let him go no matter how hard he pulled.  
  
Yunalesca frowned at him and shook her head slowly.  
  
"Don't try it." She said sternly. "No one will help you."  
  
Seymour's eyes narrowed as he asked sharply, "What makes you think that? Most of my loyal servants are here."  
  
Yunalesca laughed scornfully. "The Guado here have been informed of your treachery."  
  
"And that means—what?" Seymour tilted his head, blinking calmly. "My people have never minded my treachery before."  
  
"The Guado will not forgive you of trying to merge with Sin and destroy Spira."  
  
Seymour looked away, his eyes narrow.  
  
1.1 "I had forgotten that that is now common knowledge…"  
  
"Well, if I do not have willing help, then I shall have unwilling help. I drained souls into myself before—I can do it again."  
  
Glancing up at Yunalesca, Seymour was suddenly hit by a flash of inspiration. Experimentally he moved his arms slowly—although the chains were tight, they allowed him to move freely. Seymour swung his arms in a circle, getting a feel for the chains. Yunalesca watched him.  
  
"What are you doing?" She asked curiously after a while.  
  
"I have a cramp." He lied glibly.  
  
"You have no body." Yunalesca rebutted. "How can you have a cramp?"  
  
"It's in my head." Seymour replied, his tone a little sharp. He eyed the Lady—she was only a few feet away. Well within grabbing range…  
  
Seymour suddenly lunged for Yunalesca and grabbed her, digging his nails cruelly into the skin of her bare arms. Yunalesca flinched at the sudden pain, but gasped as she began to break up into pyreflies.  
  
"There's something to be said for youth." Seymour said wickedly, drawing her close as her pyreflies began to drift away. Mentally he called them to him, shaping his will into thousands of miniature snares to capture the elusive soul fragments. Reluctantly they came, diffusing slowly into his body as Yunalesca herself began to fade slightly. She began to panic, fighting and kicking wildly.  
  
Seymour continued, reveling in her helpless struggles, "After all, I am good thousand years younger than you, and my will is still strong and fresh, while yours has been stretched thin over the years"  
  
His head jerked back when Yunalesca unexpectedly headbutted him, stunning him for a moment. His grip loosened briefly, but Seymour clenched his hands before Yunalesca could tear away.  
  
"Wretched," Yunalesca hissed, grabbing Seymour's sides and digging her own nails into his phantom body. Seymour cried out as her power exploded out of her hands, nearly tearing his body apart.  
  
"I must work fast!" He thought in alarm as Yunalesca's power sent a few of his pyreflies spinning off into empty space. "She will destroy me!"  
  
Shutting his eyes fiercely, Seymour gritted his teeth as he began to tear mentally into Yunalesca, ripping her into pieces that he could easily absorb. Yunalesca stiffened in his grip and the sweet song of her agonized scream soon greeted Seymour's ears.  
  
"Zaon!" She shrilled as her body began to fade into ragged strips.  
  
Something suddenly slammed into Seymour from behind and startled, the half-Guado let go of Yunalesca. She sprang backwards, the pyreflies of her soul breaking free of Seymour and fleeing back to her in his confusion. She hugged herself, trying to keep herself together and Seymour could see the cracks in her arms where his fingers had broken through the fragile shell that was now her body.  
  
Whirling, Seymour turned around to see what had struck him and cried out as Lord Zaon, Yunalesca's husband, struck him a second time, using the flat of a massive sword that that had mysteriously popped out of the air. Stars exploded in Seymour's vision as the blade connected with his face, sending him spinning to the ground. As Lord Zaon wrathfully hit him a third time, not caring that he was down on the ground, Seymour dazedly wondered how in all of Spira Zaon had managed to get a sword that would hit someone in the Farplane.  
  
Zaon clouted Seymour one more time before dropping the hammer to his side and taking a step back. Through his spinning vision, Seymour watched, fascinated, as the sword slowly dissolved and reformed, tightening into shape until Seymour recognized it as Lord Zaon's arm.  
  
"He made a weapon out of himself!" Seymour thought in amazement. "I wonder… could I do that?"  
  
Zaon's eyes glittered with wrath and malice, and when he spoke his voice still carried venom although he had been dead over a thousand years.  
  
"Touch my wife again—and I will kill you a FIFTH time." He snarled, holding up his hands. They shattered—disintegrated—then reformed into a pair of extremely wicked looking blades that grew right out of his arms. Seymour was too astonished to be frightened, but Zaon took his wide-eyed expression as one of fear and stepped away, reforming his hands.  
  
Walking toward Yunalesca, Zaon embraced his injured wife and stroked her hair comfortingly, murmuring soft words that Seymour could not hear. Shooting one final glare at Seymour, Zaon shimmered briefly before vanishing in a shower of pyreflies, taking Yunalesca with him. Seymour stared at their diffusing pyreflies, amazed.  
  
"It appears that I cannot leave just yet—there is too much to learn!"  
  
= = = = =  
  
Author's note:  
  
Uh oh. Seymour's getting ideas…  
  
I think I made Seymour and Yunalesca a little out of character in this…damn. Well, they're not exactly big characters in the game. Well, Seymour is, but we only see him as a 'cool' guy. Surely he can't be that cold all the time—when he's mad, he has to do something, right? Waving his arms around works for him, I think. Besides, it looks damn funny in my head.  
  
On a technical note I have to say that this chapter was originally two pieces of writing. Both of them concerned Seymour, but the problem with both of them was that they were both too short. This collaborative piece is about six pages, but its two parent pieces were only about three or four pages each. So I spliced them and created this new piece.  
  
So what do you think? Does this flow? Is it smooth enough? Review me with your reply, please.  
  
= = = = = 


	6. Troubles of Tromell

1 Deliver Me  
  
= = = = =  
  
This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.  
  
= = = = =  
  
Summary: Yuna gets a bad call.  
  
= = = = =  
  
A week after her near death, Yuna was quietly working on a proposal to help the priests of the Yevon Temples work together to hold the faith of Spira intact. Since the disappearances/deaths of the Four Maesters, Yuna, Dona, Shelinda, and Isaaru had stepped in to take over the Spiran theocracy. Being the daughter of High Summoner Braska and the one who had defeated Sin, Yuna was the natural choice for Grand Maestress, but in truth she floundered under the enormous pile of work, and much rather preferred to work directly with the people. That was the main reason that she herself, and not one of the other summoners, was working on the speech for the temples.  
  
Just as she was putting the finishing touches on her speech, a soft 'shiing' by her side made her turn and look at the sphere transmitter in her room. A special machina, it sent live messages from places far away, and a convenient screen at the bottom of the device showed exactly who was calling, and from where. Yuna frowned slightly when the screen flashed the letters "Tromell Guado—Guadosalam".  
  
"What reason do the Guado—and particularly Tromell Guado—have to call me?" Yuna thought as she turned in her chair, pushing a button at the sphere transmitter's base to open up the message. The sphere that gave the machina its name flickered, making the spider-like stand that held it upright glimmer with lights. Yuna watched as the watery image of Tromell Guado flickered into being, and then solidified until it was a perfect miniature of the old and faithful manservant.  
  
"Grand Maestress Yuna." He said stiffly, bowing slightly less than was polite. Yuna did not miss the distaste in his tone, but did not fault him for it. Tromell did, after all, have a lot of reason to hate her. She had killed his latest employer.  
  
"Lord Tromell." Yuna got out of her chair and bowed from the waist out of habit before remembering that, as Grand Maestress, she bowed to no one, especially to Tromell, leader of the Guado though he now was. "You honor me with your call." Yuna added as she straightened.  
  
Tromell's upper lip curled slightly in distaste, but Yuna stipulated it to be a flicker of the sphere transmitter's image, and not an actual expression on the elderly Guado's part. At least, she hoped it was.  
  
"I…" Tromell hesitated for a brief moment, but plunged on after a moment of silence. "Have a favor to ask of you."  
  
Yuna frowned ever so slightly. The favor had to be something large, if Tromell had thought to call her, of all summoners.  
  
"The Farplane…" Tromell began to twiddle with his large hands. "The Farplane…seems to be…breaking…"  
  
"Breaking?" Yuna couldn't help but gasp.  
  
Tromell looked distraught. "In all of history, there has never been anything like this, my lady. Pieces of the Farplane drift out, and transform into terrible fiends. Our remaining Guado Guardians have defeated these fiends by summoning more powerful ones to combat it, but we cannot do this forever." He hesitated. "I believe that if you and Lady Dona and Lord Isaaru came, you could perhaps perform a triple sending that would the bind the Farplane down."  
  
Yuna nodded. "That is the most sensible course of action."  
  
"You will come then, Lady Yuna?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Thank you!" Tromell bowed deeply. "We shall expect your arrival with much joy."  
  
His image flickered out and Yuna sat down in her chair, frowning deeply.  
  
"The Farplane…breaking…"  
  
"But why? It has held strong for a thousand years…"  
  
"What is different about the Farplane now? What sets it apart from the Farplane of a thousand years past?"  
  
She sighed deeply before reaching forward to tap the sphere monitor. The sooner she called Dona and Isaaru, the better.  
  
= = = = =  
  
Author's note:  
  
Gee, this one's short. I hope that's not too disappointing.  
  
Don't worry! There's more coming!  
  
= = = = = 


	7. A Once in a Lifetime Sight

Deliver Me  
  
= = = = =  
  
This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.  
  
= = = = =  
  
Summary: The best laid plans of Yuna and crew.  
  
= = = = = A week later, at Guadosalam = = = = =  
  
Auron eyed the Farplane, which was a disturbing, anomalous cloud of shimmering pyreflies and roiling shades of color. For the first time in years, the aged guardian felt sick, and became forced to push his sunglasses further up his face to hide the nauseating sight from his eyes. There was something sickening in the way the Farplane, once a perfect, shimmering ball of sea blue, now writhed and twisted like an animal being tortured, or a woman being violated.  
  
He glanced around the rather large he was in. Dona, Isaaru, and their guardians had come along for the ride, and as a result, there were roughly twelve people standing on the narrow stairs leading up to the Farplane. It was hard for everyone to stand on the stairs, and even harder for everyone to get into a place where they could hear Yuna speak. Rikku and Pacce, easily the smallest people in the group, were actually up on other people, Pacce sitting on his brother Maroda's shoulders and Rikku perched on Kimahri's. Not that anyone noticed, or grumbled about it. They were all too intent on hearing what Yuna, the group's official leader, had to say. She stood at the uppermost stair of the Farplane, much to close to shifting miasma in Auron's opinion.  
  
"This breaking of the Farplane is extremely disturbing." She said softly, her voice nonetheless carrying over the assembled crowd. "Tromell Guado has told me that the pieces of the Farplane have formed into powerful fiends. Should the Farplane fly apart," Glancing over her shoulder, she added, "And I do think that it is entirely possible," Turning back, Yuna continued, "Who knows what sort of mayhem would ensue? Something must be done about this problem, and quickly."  
  
"So what do you say we do, m'lady?" Isaaru asked, his mellifluous voice speaking the question on everyone's mind.  
  
"I had thought to perform a triple sending, the three of us in concert, so that we may attempt to calm the Farplane with our combined strength." Yuna said simply. "Our wills, which make any sending happen in the first place, would most likely bind the Farplane down, and hopefully solve the problem."  
  
"And if it doesn't solve the problem?" Dona asked, putting one hand on her hip and gesturing at Yuna with the other.  
  
"Then at least we will have a little time to figure things out." Yuna said sensibly.  
  
Dona looked skeptical at such a plan, but then again, Dona looked skeptical at everything. On the other hand, Isaaru, being the supportive person he was, nodded and said, "Let us begin, then."  
  
The three summoners descended the steps, walking until they had reached the somewhat larger, flat landing at the foot of the staircase. Turning, Auron was interested to note that, while Yuna took out her Nirvana staff in preparation for the sending, Dona pulled out what looked suspiciously like a whip, and Isaaru pulled out nothing at all. So, the saying was true then-all summoners performed the sending differently.  
  
"It's probably not the dance that matters, but the motion of sending the souls." Auron thought as he sat down on the stairs and made ready to watch the triple-sending spectacle. "The act of making pulling motions, I suppose."  
  
If he thought about it hard enough, Auron could remember Braska's sending dance. Like Isaaru, he used nothing in his hands, preferring instead to whirl through the sending as light as bird and just as free. Auron watched Isaaru closely as the three summoners began their sending dance; would there be similarities?  
  
"No."  
  
From the start it was obvious that Isaaru's dance would be different. For one thing, he started on the wrong foot, and for another, his dance seemed to consist more of moving his hands and arms instead his whole body despite the fact that he did turn and move as agilely as any other summoner. He was more grounded in his steps, moving in a set pattern instead of the free movement that Braska indulged and reveled in. Disappointed on some level, Auron looked away from Isaaru to glance at Dona.  
  
The dark-skinned woman's whip was actually a long, fluttering ribbon, judging by the way it flitted and rested so agilely on the still air in the cavern of the Farplane. With intricate spins, whirls, and wide, sweeping movements of her nubile body, Dona drew long symbols in the air with her long black band. Miraculously she never caught or tripped herself as she moved in seemingly impossible maneuvers under, over, and between the long bands of her shimmering black ribband.  
  
In contrast to Dona's dark, shimmering dance and Isaaru's set and steady movements, Yuna was a light, irregular cadence that was like a dancing star in the relative darkness of the Farplane cavern. She never stopped moving, always swinging, twirling, moving her staff as she herself turned and whirled in the steps of an intricate dance that was eerily like her father's. However, unlike the bird her father had brought to mind, Yuna moved more like the water she preferred to dance upon. She was liquid, smooth, beautiful to watch-but strong and powerful at the same time.  
  
Auron sighed at her grace, and pulled down his dark glasses to see her better. It was then that, despite their differing dances, Auron noticed that the three summoners were all moving as one, their sending rituals all pulsing to the same beat. It was a slow, steady one, as familiar to Auron as his own heartbeat. Without intending to, he began to hum the Hymn of the Fayth, the only song he knew which would flow perfectly to the beat of the summoners' dance.  
  
The Hymn had been absent for Spira for only a mere three weeks, but was already it was sorely missed. Behind Auron, Wakka, Barthello, and Maroda began humming, each man thinking that the other men had started. It was not until that Kimahri chimed in, quietly and actually singing the words in his deep bass voice, that the Hymn become more than a hum, and became spoken instead of whispered. Lulu's sweet contralto joined in a split second after the men began to vocalize, her husky voice lifting the song and expanding it with a simple harmony as Rikku and Pacce's high soprano voices joined in, and added to the layers of the song. Underneath it all, Auron hummed, his low bass voice grounding everyone and keeping them on the same set of notes.  
  
When the singing started, the three summoners faltered in their dance, wondering where the song coming from before realizing that their guardians were the ones intoning the ancient cant. Curious Guado, also mystified as to the Hymn's appearance, began to appear surreptitiously at the Farplane's entrance, glancing furtively in to see a wondrous, once-in-a-lifetime sight;  
  
Three summoners, dancing a strange and enchanting dance as pyreflies whirled around them, and their guardians sang the Hymn of the Fayth in one strong, unified voice.  
  
It was the perfect picture of the peace and unity that Spira had so long aspired to, peace that was more tangible now that Sin was dead.  
  
And peace that would have to wait, as the Farplane, which had calmed under the dual forces of the Hymn and the triple-sending, suddenly bulged outwards, and then, silently, exploded.  
  
= = = = =  
  
Author's note:  
  
Now that I think of it.Auron.singing.(Excuse me while I laugh hysterically.)Auron, singing in tune.(Pass out on the floor)  
  
Aside from that (but you know, despite all my laughing, I think he could carry a tune, and well) I like the way this chapter came out. I was in a somewhat poetic mood when I was writing this chapter.well, as poetic as one can be while listening to that new Eminem song, the one that goes 'Well this looks like the job for me/So everyone just follow me/'Cause we need a little controversy/'Cause it feels so EMpty without me'-you know, that one?  
  
I got the idea for the triple sending in a dream. In fact, that's where a lot of my ideas come from. But the idea of everyone singing the Hymn of the Fayth-for the people who have visited the Sphere Theater, and bought up to Sphere 15, you know what I mean, yes? It's the one of Yuna doing the sending at Kilika.  
  
Remember how when she started dancing, you had the alto women's section start singing the first part of the Hymn, and when they entered the part when the first section repeated, the men joined in and made this absolutely uplifting harmony? Yeah, that's what I was thinking of.  
  
Only, I reversed the roles. I dunno, it just seemed like Auron would start humming it, because it would be a combination of nostalgia about Braska and summoning and when aeons were around (the good old days, ha ha ha).  
  
I have raved enough. Sorry. Oh! Yes! Thanks for all your generous reviews!  
  
= = = = = 


	8. The Farplane Fracas

1 Deliver Me  
  
= = = = =  
  
This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.  
  
= = = = =  
  
Summary: The Farplane forms into fiends and fights.  
  
= = = = =  
  
Close…so close…  
  
And yet a million miles apart…  
  
"Yuna! Yuna!"  
  
= = = = =  
  
Abruptly Auron stopped humming, but his loss of melody was not noted in the song. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled; a sure sign something was wrong.  
  
"Damn!" He thought furiously as a thousand more signs of trouble hit him, flying from all directions in the form of speeding pyreflies, which whirled madly in circles and unknown shapes instead of meandering in their usual slow path.  
  
"The only time pyreflies act like that are when fiends are near…"  
  
"How could I be so careless?"  
  
He glanced at Yuna and shook his head as a few notions that most would have found horrifying flitted over his mind.  
  
"That's why…"  
  
Danger pricked him in the back; Auron whipped around, drawing his Masamune just as the Farplane pieces drifted gently down toward the ground and he watched, aghast, as the Farplane pieces began to form into various unfamiliar monsters, complete before they even touched the ground.  
  
"Attack!" He shouted, stopping everyone with the roaring thunder of his voice. The Hymn broke off in mid-note; the sending paused. Everyone turned to look at him, and instead found themselves looking at unimaginably powerful fiends. For a long moment, everyone, including the monsters, were stunned and silent.  
  
Then, as if a great switch had been thrown, a colossal fight began.  
  
Rikku was the quickest to act. Using Kimahri's shoulders as her springboard the young Al Bhed jumped high into the air, hurling Smoke Bombs with deadly accuracy into every fiend's eyes. The little bombs exploded, and a few fiends shrieked in pain and frustration as roiling clouds of black smoke obscured their vision, but on the whole the monsters were rather unaffected by the Darkness spell.  
  
Rikku cursed in Al Bhed, but her swears turned to shrieks as an aerial monster, a flying eyeball creature, grabbed her with its huge claws. Wakka came to her rescue and pelted the monster with his bladed World Champion, whacking the monster squarely in its oversized eye. Shrieking in pain, the monster dropped Rikku, who righted herself and landed squarely on her feet.  
  
"Everyone down!" Lulu shouted as she raised both arms above her head. Her Onion Knight bounced down from his perch on her arm and raised his little sword and shield as well, mimicking Lulu's motions as she dropped her arms toward the ground, and began the Doublecasting of Ultima.  
  
Every guardian and summoner dropped to the floor, covering their heads as a few broken and unformed pieces of the Farplane surged, coalescing in the air and answering Lulu's call for powerful magic. To everyone's shock, the spell did not Doublecast…  
  
It Triplecast, if such a thing was possible. If such a thing was conceivable. Auron, who had kept his head up ever so slightly to keep track of the situation, was amazed but already rationalizing, a task that was proving surprisingly difficult.  
  
"It appears that these broken Farplane pieces enhance magical power." Auron thought as the third casting of Ultima finished off two of the seven creatures that had been formed from the shattered Farplane. Looking at Yuna, he shouted, "Cast Holy!"  
  
Yuna nodded and was about to get up, but Isaaru, who happened to be lying nearby, grabbed her arm and dragged her back down with surprising roughness. Auron was about to shout at him, but caught sight of Rikku and Kimahri standing up.  
  
"Copycat!" Rikku shouted, putting one hand to her face. Kimahri shut his eyes and made a similar motion.  
  
Two bouts of Triplecast Ultima filled the Farplane cavern. Two more creatures went down.  
  
"Now there's only three to deal with." Auron thought, critically eyeing the monsters remaining. " Better, but by no means good. To have withstood six—no, nine casts of Ultima—these monsters must have a high magical defense."  
  
"Time to do things the old-fashioned way…"  
  
As soon as the spell ended, Auron was the first up onto his feet, and the first to strike out at a fiend. Vaguely Chocobo-Eater in shape, it swung at him with one long arm, but Auron dropped to the ground and rolled underneath it, a blur of crimson as he dodged the monster's blow and ended up underneath the fiend itself. With a grunt, he drove his Masamune into the soft underside of the creature and was rewarded by its long and baleful shriek of pain.  
  
"YAAH!" Someone—had to be Pacce, no one else's voice was that simultaneously high and scratchy—shouted, and Auron threw one hand over his face as Firaga exploded above his head. Heat singed him, making a few strands of his hair curl. However, since he had not been the target of Pacce's spell, the Firaga was only uncomfortably warm, and not hot enough to burn.  
  
"Pacce, Sir Auron's under there!" Maroda scolded.  
  
"I wanted to help!" Pacce shot back.  
  
"This is how you help." Maroda replied, and Auron could see the young man racing over to where he was. Above him, the fiend was still screaming from its pain, but its cry was choked off as Maroda shoved one of his twin swords straight into the fiend's mouth, stifling its wail and making the monster trail off in a disgusting, wet-sounding gurgle.  
  
Auron wrenched his Masamune out of the monster and rolled out from underneath it, getting to his feet as soon as he was clear of the fiend. Maroda, who had been busily stabbing the monster with one sword while keeping his other blade inside the creature's mouth, saw that Auron was out of danger, and instantly withdrew, springing back before the monster could swing one of its large arms and hit him. About fifty feet away, safe as he could be atop the stairs, Pacce clapped his hands twice and Auron felt the strange penetrating heat of Flare at his back. He put on a burst of speed, but as he moved he felt a sickening wave of dizziness overtake him and he stumbled, nearly falling to the ground. Pain ached dully in his stomach and he clutched his wounded abdomen with his stomach, shutting his eye in pain.  
  
"Not now, please, not now..."  
  
One of the fiend's arms caught the elder guardian in the chest and flung him across the cavern, making him crack his head on the staircase so loud that, even in the rage of the battle, everyone heard the loud SNAP of Auron's skull on wood. He dropped to the ground, disoriented and confused, and limp as a rag doll. He was too stunned to pay any attention to pain, and his silence cast ominous doubts over the group.  
  
"Oh no!" Yuna raised her hands to cast Full-Life on the guardian, but Dona was instantly at her side, sharp as always.  
  
"You're the only summoner who can attack! Don't waste your energy on healing!"  
  
"But Sir Auron," Yuna objected.  
  
Lulu broke in, also harsh. "He's come back to life before!" She snapped as she blasted the flying fiend that had grabbed Rikku with a Triplecast of Flare. "This won't stop him!"  
  
True to Lulu's word, Auron twitched, then slowly, excruciatingly but amazingly, dragged himself into a sitting position. Then, much to everyone's alarm he doubled over, hugging his midsection and clearly in pain.  
  
"Sir Auron!" Yuna ran toward him, but was yanked rudely back as Dona grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the way. Striding over to the scarlet-clad man, she said briskly over her shoulder. "I'll heal Sir Auron. You concentrate on casting Holy, Lady Yuna."  
  
Despite Dona's decidedly rude manner, she was sensible and so Yuna had no objection to going about with attacking. Her Holy spell was, after all, the only thing she could really attack with, since her aeons were now gone, and Yuna hated not being able to contribute as much in battle as she used to be able to. It gave her the feeling she was useless, and Yuna was not the type of person to just sit back and relax when her friends were at stake.  
  
Her long moment of thinking nearly cost Yuna her life as she turned as found herself facing the long, curved blade of a purple, horselike creature. With a wild whinny the beast reared onto its hind legs and towered above Yuna, flailing its small, sharp hooves at her as it began to drop back down. Yuna swung her Nirvana up in front of her, desperately hoping to block.  
  
Pyreflies swirled tightly around her waist and abruptly dragged Yuna a good five feet back from the flailing monster. The glowing sparks felt uncomfortably like human arms around Yuna's waist, but the tight, warm touch was familiar.  
  
"Who…?" Yuna thought in confusion just as Barthello, Dona's guardian, appeared in front of her and grabbed the fiend's slender front legs, his large hands taking hold of the animal's fetlocks and preventing it from coming down. With a grunt he hurled the monster off to the side, throwing it a good fifty feet before it smashed into the cavern wall. The horn on its head broke with a metallic chime, dropping to the floor a split second before the monster did. Yuna looked away as the crescent horn, still upturned, speared the fiend through the stomach and up through its spine. The monster shrilled an eerie death cry before dissolving into pyreflies.  
  
Auron's breath came in short, soft gasps as he pressed his fist into his stomach in a vain attempt to stop the horrible feeling of gnawing that was eating him alive. Like dull fire the feeling slowly set his veins on fire, filling his body with a pain so exquisite that it was all Auron could do to keep conscious. Tigers' claws seemingly shredded him from within, attacking the soft places inside his body with ruthless malediction. Worse, though, than the pain, were the thoughts that had pounced on his distracted mind, and were attacking him even now as he curled up, weakened and in pain. They were like snakes, cold and smooth as they slithered into his mind and whispered temptation with cool, hissing voices.  
  
"Close…"  
  
"Closer…"  
  
"What's wrong with you?" Dona's cross voice reached him faintly through the muddle of his pained thoughts. "You're a guardian. Get up."  
  
Coolness spread through his entire body and Auron let out a shaky sigh of relief as Dona's powerful Curaga spell methodically destroyed the pain in his body, killing the agony with the same ruthlessness the pain had used against him. As the coolness reached his brain the dark thoughts that plagued him were killed as well, but not before they managed to whisper,  
  
"One jump…"  
  
"A mere wound…"  
  
"No one would notice…"  
  
Auron firmly shoved the thoughts to the furthest reaches of his mind as new energy ran through him and filled him with strength. Muttering a 'thanks' to Dona he rose to his feet, hefting his Masamune onto his shoulder. From across the cavern, he saw Wakka wave jauntily.  
  
"Hey, you back!"  
  
Auron nodded curtly, and looked for the monster he had begun to attack. It didn't take long to find; easily the largest fiend, it was also the loudest one, pounding all over the cavern on its stubby legs and screaming its pain from the wounds in its mouth and on its head. Furiously it swung its massive arms, swatting anyone unfortunate enough to be in its way.  
  
Lulu cried as one of the appendages clipped her in the side, sending her flying toward the wall. She was only saved from death by Wakka and Maroda, who had braced themselves for her impact and caught her squarely as she crashed into them.  
  
When one of the arms swung toward them, Kimahri and Bartello also braced, but instead of taking the monster's blow they grabbed its arm. Something in Barthello's right arm snapped, but he only let out a small grunt of pain, remembering how Auron had made not a sound when he had smashed into the stairs. Kimahri glanced down at Barthello, but as usual said nothing.  
  
Auron, fresh from Dona's powerful healing, dashed up from his place at the foot of the Farplane's stairs and quickly chopped the monster's arm off, relieving Kimahri and Barthello of their burden. The disembodied arm exploded into pyreflies at the same time the monster let out an earth- shattering wail of pain, and toppled on its side under the weight of its other, still intact arm. Auron and Kimahri rushed in to dispatch of the monster.  
  
Barthello, now free of the monster's arm, couldn't help but clutch his own in pain. Underneath the muscle he could feel the strangeness, the odd brokenness of a clean-split bone. Sweat beaded on his forehead; the pain was excruciating. From across the cavern, Isaaru ran over to help, his hands already glowing with the healing light of a Curaga spell. Maroda and Pacce was at his side, Maroda's twin swords upraised to guard his brother and his eyes on the flying monster, which was now the only one left of the original seven that had attacked. Pacce was glancing around the cavern, making sure there were no other monsters that would jump forth and harm his brother. Luckily, there was only one; the flying one.  
  
Wakka, along with Lulu and Rikku, was attacking the monster in the sky. Rikku hurled various items from her unique stockpile; Bomb Cores, Electro Marbles, Artic Winds, Water Gems, even a Candle of Life and a Farplane Wind, which promptly exploded into pyreflies as soon as it hit the monster. When Rikku was not throwing something, Lulu was casting her own spells, namely elemental ones because they were quick, and would disappear quickly so Wakka could see. Although Lulu's assaults did not obscure his vision, Rikku's attacks did, but somehow through the haze of all her missiles, Wakka still managed to hit the flying fiend every time. He had two weapons out now, the World Champion and the Turnover, so he could constantly pelt the monster with an endless barrage of blitzballs. He was tiring from the throwing, but was not about to let it show.  
  
As the World Champion flew back to him, Wakka threw the spiked Turnover ball with his last vestiges of remaining strength and stared, amazed, as it suddenly began to glow with white light. As it hit the monster, the ball suddenly exploded in a blaze of whiteness, enveloping the fiend in the unmistakable glow of a Holy spell. Surprised, Wakka looked at Yuna, who dropped her hands and looked rather pleased with herself.  
  
"I didn't know you could do that, ya?" Wakka asked suspiciously, wondering if Yuna had just pulled a new trick on him.  
  
"Ya." Yuna grinned, imitating his island accent. Fried from the Holy spell, the one-eyed monster dissolved into pyreflies with a last eerie wail. Wakka's Turnover dropped to the ground, quite unharmed from the spell Yuna had cast on it.  
  
The fiends were now all dead. The battle was over. It had been short, not even fifteen minutes, and yet everyone was spent. Lulu was ashen from her constant spell casting, and her brief Triplecast; her magical energy was all but spent. Rikku looked pale as well, but better since she had used Soul Springs to heal herself when she'd been on the attack. Wakka was sitting down and leaning against the wall, rubbing the sore muscles on his arms and chest with slow, circular motions. Barthello was also nursing his hurts, rubbing the muscles that still zinged with pain despite the fact that his broken arm bones had been healed. . Maroda, who had been running all over the cavern, was catching his breath. Little Pacce was taking a well-earned nap. Dona and Isaaru, not being as strong as Yuna in magic, were tired from their Curaga spells and were resting on the ground. Yuna, tired as well, sat down and rubbed her eyes, feeling a wave of fatigue. Only Kimahri and Auron remained standing, the both of them ever vigilant. In particular, Auron, who was looking back at the place where the Farplane had used to be.  
  
Truthfully, he felt as tired as anyone else. More than anything else the elder guardian would have liked to collapse onto the ground and take a few moments to rest. A few moments to recover his breath. A few moments to shove the cold, snakelike thoughts permanently out of his head. Dona's healing had been powerful, but it had only healed his body.  
  
"Apparently magic can do nothing for my condition." Auron thought, finding himself looking at Yuna yet again. Sternly he directed his gaze elsewhere, and found himself looking at an unusual gathering of pyreflies up at the top of the stairs.  
  
"Up." He commanded as the drifting pyreflies that had once been fiends began to reform, and pull into a small but most likely dangerous shape. Had there been less tension, less steel in his voice, someone would have groaned or protested. No one did any such thing, however. Especially when they got to their feet, and actually recognized the person the pyreflies were forming into.  
  
= = = = =  
  
Author's note:  
  
Muahahahaha! But despite my maniacal laughter, I think I screwed up this chapter. I didn't get all I wanted into it, and have the weird feeling that it's disturbingly empty of certain details. Maybe I should have written this whole thing from a First Person Point of View…  
  
By the way, the person who was calling "Yuna!" in the beginning was (you probably guessed it) Tidus. I intended to make it that he was trying to warn her of what was about to happen. Incidentally, it was Tidus who also dragged Yuna away from the hooved monster (in case my description sucked, which it probably did, play Final Fantasy VII, and watch for a purple unicorn called Mesmerize.)  
  
On another note…  
  
Once again, thank you all for all your gracious reviews. You have no idea how pleased I become whenever I read what you think of my story.  
  
Oh, by the way—the thing I had in Ch. 3, I think, was it…? The thing about Auron's thoughts? Well, the contest is still on. No one's got it yet, but I think it'll be easier. I've been dropping hints left and right in this. Hopefully SOMEONE will get it!  
  
= = = = = 


	9. Seymour's Sin

1 Deliver Me  
  
= = = = =  
  
This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.  
  
= = = = =  
  
Summary: The secret's out.  
  
= = = = =  
  
Seymour grinned wickedly at the expressions of shock, fear, and loathing that his mere appearance had elicited, but kept his arms folded across his chest so his long, flowing sleeves hid his bared stomach. The blue-haired man strode confidently down the stairs, nearby pyreflies flying to him and weaving into his body as he descended the steps. Even though his altitude changed, Seymour's focus remained the same, and the look on his face made it clear that he only had eyes for Lady Yuna. The young summoner gripped her staff and her varicolored eyes widened in fear, but her mouth became set in a hard line, showing her determination and resolve.  
  
"Beautiful…" Seymour couldn't help but think.  
  
A flicker of motion caught his eye; it was Sir Auron, who was the only one moving out of the entire group before him. The aged guardian was taking long, striding steps, deftly placing himself before Seymour and Yuna. His unusual sword was at the ready and he had tilted his head up a little so his expression was completely masked from view. Seymour frowned at him. Was there something…?  
  
"Did YOU cause all this?" One of Yuna's guardians, the busty mage named Lulu demanded sharply, jumping to her feet. Her ruby eye flashed, her face as hard as the white marble it resembled.  
  
"Perhaps." Seymour said carelessly, smiling.  
  
"Why?" Yuna asked, her face showing her confusion.  
  
Seymour smiled at her, taking pleasure in the way she tensed and stepped ever so slightly back.  
  
"Why, to see your face again, my dear wife." He added the last three words in a rare burst of witty malice and laughed when Yuna visibly flinched.  
  
"You forced her into it, you jackass!" The young Al Bhed girl, Rikku, shrilled.  
  
"I did no such thing." Seymour said mildly.  
  
"You blackmailed her!" Rikku shouted back. "You said you weren't gonna harm us if she married you!"  
  
"And then you ordered us dead!" Wakka shouted.  
  
Seymour shrugged. "It had to be done."  
  
His gaze flicked to Sir Auron once more. There was no doubt about it; the elder guardian looked tired and pale, two things that he should NOT be since he was an unsent and therefore, tireless. What was wrong with him, Seymour couldn't help but wonder. He was afflicted with no status; he was also at full health, judging from the tautness of his stance. So what was wrong?  
  
"He looks weary, drawn. Like a traveler who has had naught to eat nor drink since,"  
  
"Ah hah."  
  
"Sir Auron, I don't suppose you've told anyone about your affliction?" Seymour asked innocently, noting that the aged guardian visibly flinched. It was a small, barely noticeable motion that no one would have normally caught, but Seymour had made it his habit to pick up the smallest signs of weakness, and his uncanny talent had lasted into the grave.  
  
"I have no such thing." Auron replied in a shockingly cold and steely voice.  
  
"Ah." Seymour thought with interest. "So he is ashamed."  
  
"Perhaps I should enlighten all those present about a certain…problem the unsent have." Seymour began to say, his voice moving delicately over the words. As he expected, Sir Auron sharply cut him off.  
  
"Don't associate me with your limitations."  
  
Dona, Isaaru, and their guardians looked at him in surprise. They had not known this, that he was an unsent like Seymour obviously was. They were not the only ones looking at Sir Auron, however. By now everyone was curious. Seymour could see it in their faces. Everyone wanted to know what Sir Auron was so defensive about. Of course, nobody would ask. It was clear that the old guardian was far too angry about the subject to give an answer. Seymour took it upon himself to provide one for the people.  
  
"Grand Maester Mika had the courtesy to inform me of the problem when I first joined the ranks of the unsent, roughly three months ago. He was gracious enough to tell me that staying among the living after one's time is not as easy as it seems." Seymour continued, his voice seemingly casual but in reality focused, sharpened to an edge that was designed to cut through Sir Auron's tough armor. It was a blade shaped well; with every word, Sir Auron tensed, and looked more and more like a scared jackrabbit than a crouching tiger. Seymour continued his exposition mercilessly, his cold crystal eyes cutting into the elder guardian as he spoke.  
  
"You know this, of course, Sir Auron. You have stayed death for ten years."  
  
"How you know?" Kimahri demanded, stepping forward to growl at Seymour. The Ronso, Seymour noted, had a very protective personality, even toward those who were not his summoner. Seymour smiled indulgently at the blue furred creature, which bristled and actually bared his teeth at him in a savage imitation of Seymour's expression.  
  
"You'd be amazed how chatty the dead can be." Seymour said casually, looking at Sir Auron. "Especially Sir Jecht. He was never silent."  
  
Sir Auron grunted, but that was the only response. Seymour decided to needle him a little more.  
  
"Now where was I…?" Seymour asked his audience, rather than himself. "Oh yes—the problem with staying alive after death." In a seemingly random change of subject, he asked, "Do you all know what fiends are?"  
  
"Fiends are the vengeful souls of the dead who are not sent to the Farplane." Dona replied, frowning slightly.  
  
"Good." Seymour said appraisingly, not caring that he sounded condescending. "And do fiends do?"  
  
"They kill people." Said Pacce, who also frowned.  
  
"And consume them, to feed their hate and anger." Maroda glanced at Isaaru for confirmation; Isaaru nodded.  
  
Seymour glanced at Sir Auron, who was now glancing around the group with the panicked speed of a pursued animal. Despite the fact that he had not a teaspoon of tact, he certainly knew a trap when it was coming.  
  
"Precisely." Seymour said, nodding. "But not only to feed their dark emotions; also to survive. Fiends are unnatural; so they must prey upon living beings to support themselves."  
  
"What does this have to do with anything?" Lulu demanded impatiently.  
  
"Yeah, what are you getting at?" Rikku asked, putting her hands on her hips.  
  
Yuna suddenly frowned. To Seymour's great interest, she looked at Sir Auron and suddenly gasped, as if she had just realized something.  
  
"You seem to know, Lady Yuna, where all this is leading."  
  
"No." She said firmly, looking up at him. Seymour felt that she was not answering his question; she was denying the thing that she had concluded. However, Seymour decided to answer her question in the context everyone had probably taken her answer as.  
  
"You don't know? Quite a pity. I see I shall have to continue, then."  
  
"No." Yuna said sharply, her voice louder. A few of the guardians looked at her in puzzlement.  
  
Seymour continued nonetheless and drew all the attention back to him. "Fiends are unnatural. So are the unsent."  
  
"Shut up." Came a low and guttural voice that was barely recognizable as Sir Auron's. Seymour glanced at the elder guardian again; to his surprise the man was shaking with suppressed emotion, his shuddering so visible even the youngest of the guardians caught it. Seymour felt a shiver of anticipation and delicious glee; to make such a stoic man lose control was an unexpected thrill. However, what Seymour really, really loved was having mastery—power—over someone as strong as Sir Auron.  
  
"I could destroy him right now…"  
  
And so he did.  
  
"If fiends must feed upon people to keep themselves from death…" Seymour spoke slowly, ensuring that everyone present would listen to him. He met Sir Auron's one eye, his sharp ice blue eyes slicing deeply past Auron's one russet eye and carving the elder guardian to the core. "If the fiends must feed on people to survive," Seymour repeated.  
  
"How do you think the unsent support themselves?"  
  
= = = = =  
  
For a long moment, there was nothing. Nobody moved. Not a sound came from a single living being within the chamber.  
  
However, sound came from the two dead beings standing on the stairs.  
  
When Seymour had uttered his last few words, the Masamune dipped slowly in Auron's slack hands, moving inexorably down like the sword of Damocles until it tapped the stairs gently with a soft, dull-sounding CLUNK. A similar dullness came over Auron's face, as instantly he knew with a overwhelming wash of humiliation that his horrible secret was all but out. It would be mere seconds before everyone, even Wakka, who was notoriously blunt, understood the full meaning of Seymour's words. Mortified, Auron shut his one eye and bowed his head, his shoulders slumping in defeat.  
  
"No…no…no…"  
  
At seeing the proud, strong warrior reduced to such a pitiful state, Seymour threw back his head and laughed, loud and hearty. The sound echoed in the chamber, bouncing off the stone walls, reverberating, vibrating, until it filled the whole room with sound so thick that, to Auron, it seemed as if the sound were pressing in on him, choking him, robbing him of the air that he no longer needed to breathe, but did nonetheless to keep some semblance of living.  
  
"But of course, everyone knows what I am now…"  
  
"Guilt…horror…"  
  
"No one is supposed to know; no one is supposed to find out…"  
  
"Revulsion…shame…"  
  
"I couldn't tell anyone…I couldn't say what I had to do…"  
  
"Depression…bargaining…"  
  
"Everyone…forgive me for hiding it, please…you understand why…don't you?"  
  
Through the haze of his tumultuous emotions, Auron became vaguely aware of Seymour's loud, mocking laughter. Did it never end, Auron thought heatedly as the flickering flames of anger began to make themselves known.  
  
"Seymour…it's all your fault…"  
  
"FURY…"  
  
There was a fluttering of cloth as Sir Auron sprang forward from his place on the stairs.  
  
There was a small gasp from Seymour as he glanced up and saw Sir Auron leaping into the air, his sword high above his head.  
  
And then there was a hissing, as the sharp blade of Masamune cleaved the air just above Seymour's head in two…  
  
= = = = =  
  
Author's note:  
  
WAHAHAHA, and congratulations to DeGonGin, who hit upon Auron's weakness before I revealed it in this chapter. And thank you to everyone else who read, reviewed, and had the patience to keep up with this story despite my slow updates and weird chapters (Noelle, thank you!)  
  
Despite the fact that Auron's last action is, yes, a little out of character, one must keep in mind that he does act a lot on his emotions. Remember attacking Yunalesca?  
  
By the way, is it just me, or is Auron at his absolute best in the Zanarkand Dome? Seriously; making speeches, being tragic; most likely getting killed there…not to mention that it's most we ever see of his younger self…(grins)  
  
I have a few files on my Final Fantasy card that just entail what Auron says during the Zanarkand Dome incident…  
  
Yeah, I'm obsessed…  
  
= = = = = 


	10. Bloodlust

1 Deliver Me  
  
= = = = =  
  
This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft; except the vampire one about Auron. That is mine and mine alone.  
  
= = = = =  
  
Summary: Seymour digs a deep hole and falls headfirst into it, while Auron drops into HELL…  
  
= = = = =  
  
A lazy, almost contemptuous sneer came over Seymour's finely sculpted features as the sharp Masamune blade drove straight down at his head. With languid grace he lifted one hand—  
  
Yuna threw her hands up in front of her face as a brilliant flash of light rent the air, followed instantly by a deafening CRACK of sound. The thunderous snap almost overshadowed Auron's anguished cry of pain, and, in an eerie reenactment of his death ten years before, Auron flew backwards and hit the stairs heavily, bouncing once on the steps before sliding down to a stop at Yuna's feet. The Masamune flew spinning into the air, flying in a high, narrow arc before thudding heavily into the staircase behind Yuna. The young summoner dropped to her knees, worry overpowering in her soul.  
  
"Sir Auron!" She cried when the aged guardian did not stir.  
  
"What did you do!?" Barthello bellowed, glaring as best he was able at Seymour.  
  
"Peace. He is not dead." The blue-haired Guado said calmly.  
  
"Sure looks like it." Dona's guardian snapped.  
  
Much to everyone's relief, Auron's left hand twitched slightly, and a very faint groan escaped his parted lips. Yuna hastily cast Curaga on him, hoping that whatever had happened to him was not about to kill him a second time.  
  
"If Sir Auron died…I don't know what I'd do…he's like my father…"  
  
To her horror, Auron let out a soft hiss of pain and curled up into a tight ball, clutching his midsection with ferocity. She could see his fingers digging into his leather chestplate, pressing so hard that they threatened to tear holes in the tough material. His ragged breathing was loud in her ears, and the expression of pain on his face was all too apparent.  
  
"I wouldn't recommend getting too close to him." Seymour said casually. "He hasn't eaten for years…and that little curse I just put on him increased his hunger tenfold."  
  
"Sir Auron would NEVER attack me." Yuna said firmly. With supreme confidence she put her arms around her weakened guardian and helped him sit up, holding him closer than normal to prove her point. He was heavy, and she was forced to lean against the flat of his Masamune, which was at her back. Seymour didn't seem at all surprised by her actions.  
  
"I wouldn't be too sure about that." Seymour smiled. "His emotions DO tend to get the better of him…"  
  
With his head practically on Yuna's soft breasts, Auron was finding it extremely hard to keep still and NOT bite his summoner. It didn't help that she was holding him tightly, and inspiring hot feelings other than hunger. For a moment he considered grabbing his head and pressing his temples hard to rid himself of the bad thoughts—but the moment he moved his arms the pain in his stomach flared and threatened to rip him apart with its unholy strength. Shuddering, Auron curled up tighter if possible, and tried fiercely not to think about his unnatural taste for living blood. That, and the fact that he was right up against Yuna…  
  
"STOP IT!"  
  
As if to contradict him, the pain intensified and Auron couldn't help but cry out in agony. Yuna jumped, as did everyone else, and looked frantically at him, unable to think of a thing to do.  
  
Seymour grinned; the flare of pain had coincided with the ever so slight twitch of his clawed hand, which had cast the curse over Sir Auron in the first place. Idly he wondered what would happen to the elder guardian if he made a fist, and sent the spell's power to the maximum.  
  
"No time like the present."  
  
So everyone could see, Seymour raised his clawed hand and clenched it tightly.  
  
The agony that now exploded in Auron's stomach left him breathless. It was though a ball of shrapnel had detonated in his stomach, ripping and shredding his tender insides with the malevolence and sadism of a demonic house cat. Fire poured from every internal wound, inflaming Auron's body with a pain so great that he imaged even Hell could not compare to it. Despite the fire that now ignited his veins, burning his mind, Auron could only gasp to express his pain. To him, there was no cry loud enough, no scream pained enough, to give voice to the infernal agony that was devouring him from within. It seemed to shred at his very soul, ripping down his defenses with the greatest violence and strength, seeking only to drive him to one conclusion, only one escape.  
  
"Blood…"  
  
"I want it…"  
  
"I need to have it…"  
  
"This feeling…has to stop…"  
  
With interest Seymour noticed as Auron slowly stopped shaking and began, with excruciating slowness, to let go of his midsection. He was in no less pain; Seymour could see from his white and drawn face that he was in unspeakable agony even now. Yuna noticed his sudden motion and looked sharply at him, her eyes wide.  
  
"Sir Auron…?" She questioned fearfully.  
  
Her face was turned, exposing her cheek to Seymour. With a careless flick of his clawed hand, Seymour sent an air razor flying her way.  
  
"Yunie!" Rikku cried out as a brilliant spray of crimson erupted from her cousin's cheek. Yuna flinched.  
  
Auron froze, becoming disturbingly still.  
  
Seymour grinned. "So it begins…" He thought with a smile.  
  
Still quite unaware of the danger—either that, or incredibly stupid in Seymour's opinion—Yuna leaned closer to Sir Auron, putting her blood spattered face perilously close to his mouth. "Sir Auron?"  
  
Slowly he turned to look at her. To everyone present, there was a disquieting fascination obvious in his face, a sort of wild-eyed expression that reminded one all too much of a starving dog. Close though she was, Yuna did not see Auron lick his dry lips.  
  
There was a blur of something red. And something blue.  
  
Auron jerked as Kimahri slammed the butt of his Spirit Lance squarely between his eyes, using more than enough force to break a normal human's skull but not enough to shatter the head of one unsent. Auron fell up the stairs, landing on his back and clutching the injured place on his head. Kimahri roughly dragged Yuna behind him with one clawed hand and placed himself squarely between Auron and the shocked young summoner. One leg rested slightly against the flat of the Masamune blade.  
  
From his vantage point several steps above, Seymour laughed wickedly. "Oh my—it looks like he DID try to attack you."  
  
"No…" Yuna breathed, her eyes wide and horrified. Her expression was echoed in varying degrees among the rest of the group.  
  
Kimahri flipped his spear around so the point faced Sir Auron and kept the head trained on him as the aged guardian rose shakily to his feet, slowly dropping his hands from his head. With great effort, Auron took a step forward, moving back down toward Yuna. Kimahri tensed and drew back his spear, but it was apparent the young Ronso was extremely reluctant to attack his former comrade.  
  
"Get out of my way…" Auron growled from deep in his chest, taking another shaky step in Yuna's direction. Grimly, Wakka and Lulu placed themselves in front of the young summoner, while Rikku mixed up a threatening-looking potion in her hands.  
  
"No." Kimahri said stoutly.  
  
"Get out of my way, you fool!" Auron suddenly roared, making everyone in the cavern jump in fear. There was a frightening intensity in his voice, a power that made the conviction in his words during the Zanarkand Dome pale in comparison. Kimahri flinched at the verbal assault, but did not move.  
  
"No." He said stubbornly.  
  
Auron actually snarled, a deep, bestial sound that seemed to boil up out of his soul and erupt out from between his clenched teeth. Like a predatory cat he tensed, and instantly everyone became wary for a sudden pounce or lunge from the aged guardian. In Pacce's hands fire began to glow in both palms, making the drawn weapons of every guardian glitter and shine.  
  
"I'll have to finish this with my own hands, I see…" Auron growled as he took yet another step forward, his one eye glancing around the group with piercing speed.  
  
"Go away." Kimahri pressed his arms forward and poked Auron in the chest with the point of his Spirit Lance. The sharp tip of the spearhead dug easily into the tough leather of Auron's chestplate but unlike his eager blade Kimahri seemed wholly reluctant to attack. His rough words were not a command; they were a plea.  
  
"There is something that must be done…" Auron's one eye, grown wild and fierce from his pain, moved slowly to Yuna. As it lit upon her pale, frightened features, it softened slightly and an expression of remorse came over Auron's haggard face.  
  
"I'm sorry." He murmured softly, a startling contrast to his usual growl and bellow. His voice began to break as he visibly struggled for things to say. "I don't… want….you…to—"  
  
"It doesn't matter what he does or does not want." Seymour scornfully ran over Auron's broken words. "Sir Auron feels the overpowering urge to feed; that will override all his thoughts…all his feelings. In a few moments, he will snap. He will have no control."  
  
Auron pressed one hand to the pain in his stomach, his one eye still looking at Yuna's two. "Forgive my actions…" He breathed. "You…shouldn't have to see… this…"  
  
"Huh." Seymour scoffed, folding his arms over his chest.  
  
There was no blur of red, as there had been before. Instead, the only indication that Sir Auron had moved was the soft rustle of cloth—  
  
And the sickening way Seymour's head snapped back as an audible, wet- sounding CRACK resonated in the air.  
  
= = = = =  
  
Author's note:  
  
Woo, another chapter done!  
  
You know, since I wrote about Seymour reappearing, I find that I can type much faster now. Much coolness. I guess it was just that big fat stumbling block I had to get over before I could continue with the story.  
  
On a technical note, I have to say that originally, Seymour got killed in the preceding chapter right after Auron's big secret came out. Same way, of course; neck broken. But, I decided to move his death to THIS chapter because I wanted Auron to get cursed with the hunger before Seymour lops off.  
  
Any of you readers ever starve yourselves? Dieting, not hungry, whatever reason—have you? Just a curious query from this klepto_maniac0.  
  
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	11. Redemption

Deliver Me

o-o-o-o

This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts except the vampire one belong to Squaresoft.

o-o-o-o

Summary: The savior becomes the save-ee.

o-o-o-o

Seymour's lifeless body dropped heavily to the ground with a graceless THUD and immediately began to shimmer and break into pyreflies. Gasping, Auron collapsed on the stairs, clutching his stomach once more.

"Damn it!" He gasped, shutting his one eye. "It's...still..there..."

For a moment no one knew what he was talking about. Then, something clicked in Yuna's mind. Standing up, she called out, "Sir Auron, you wanted to kill Seymour?"

His reply was broken into short, painful gasps. "In hopes that...like him...this curse...would die."

"Then you weren't trying to attack Yunie?" Rikku asked suspiciously, hope nonetheless rising in her voice.

Despite his pain Auron glared at the young Al Bhed over his shoulder. "What sort of...degenerate...do you TAKE me for?" He all but snarled.

"Well, it just looked like..." Rikku trailed off and gave up her weak attempt to defend herself.

Yuna sidestepped Wakka and Lulu to approach her injured guardian. "Sir Auron,"

"Stay back!"

She froze in place at the forceful roar of his voice.

Slowly, with much effort, Auron pushed himself onto all fours and managed to get shakily to his feet. His labored breathing was hard and fast, making it clear that every effort was pain, and each movement was costing him dearly.

"Don't come close..." He breathed, his words shaking with the effort. "I-it's true...I haven't eaten...ever."

Auron shut his one eye and pressed his hands to his face. Yuna was shaken; never in all her moments had she seen Sir Auron look so-weak. So fragile. So unlike everything he'd ever been.

Shuddering he dropped his hands from his face, but did not open his eye.

"Do you know how hard it is to keep myself from attacking you? You, my summoner? The one.I have sworn always to protect?"

His hands clenched, becoming white-knuckled fists that somehow looked paler and more strained than Yuna had ever seen.

"Even ten feet away, I can smell your blood." Auron spoke softly. "In spite of myself, I...I want to drink it."

Yuna heard an audible gasp of fear and disgust behind her. It was probably Dona, but at the moment Yuna did not care.

"You see?" Auron asked, his expression rueful. "I.am too hungry. Like this." He paused for a long moment.

"Like this?" Yuna pressed gently, wanting to find out his words.

Auron hesitated a second longer before plunging in headfirst. "I am no good to you."

"That's not true." Yuna shook her head, but Auron held up one hand, a gesture that never failed to quiet her.

"I cannot be your guardian..." He said haltingly as he put his hand down, his words painfully slow. "When thoughts of.devouring you are always in my mind."

Yuna felt a cold chill reverberate in the core of her body.

"They are too much of a distraction."

Pacce yelped and Rikku shrieked as Sir Auron suddenly began to shimmer with lights and threatened to come undone as his pyreflies began to drift off of him.

"NO!" Despite the frightened calls of her friends, Yuna jumped forward and grabbed Auron's fading form, clutching his arms. Under her fingertips she felt the warmth of her elder guardian's flesh begin to fade, giving way to air. "Don't leave; please don't go!" Tears began to fill her eyes. "I don't want to lose someone else."

Auron turned his head, masking his pained expression and the sight of blood with his dark glasses and high collar. At his apparent indifference Yuna began to cry, bowing her head. Tears spilled down her face, making the cut in her cheek sting and sharpen the pain in her heart. "Don't go..."

"This isn't fair!" She wailed in her mind. "This isn't fair!"

The flames of anger began to flicker in her chest. Why was it that everyone she cared for always seemed to die? First her father, then Tidus.and now, Sir Auron.

"I'm not letting him go!"

"You coward!" She screamed, shocking everyone with the wild desperation of her shriek. Even Auron was surprised, opening g his one eye and turning his head to stare incredulously at her.

"How DARE you let yourself die?" Yuna squeezed his arms hard, digging her fingertips into his fading form. Still shouting, she screamed, "When I tried to kill myself, you told me I was selfish! Well, what do you think you are now?"

Her apparently irrational actions annoyed Auron and despite his best intentions he began to snap back. "I'm doing what's best for you. I don't want to put you in danger, especially when the danger is from myself!"

"If I only needed guardians to keep me from danger, then I'd only have Wakka, Lulu, and Kimahri." Yuna said in a softer tone, her anger binding down to become tight and focused. Unfortunately as she calmed down, tears began to well up again and Yuna sniffled as she found herself wanting to cry. The young summoner took a few deep, shuddering breaths, trying to regain her composure and failing miserably. A few moments passed before she was able to speak without either screaming or breaking down into tears.

"But.as well as being my guardian." Yuna managed to say in a surprisingly even tone. "You're my friend...and I don't want you to go.even if it IS for my sake."

Auron silently bowed his head, shutting his single eye as a visible expression of pain crossed his face. It was then that the guardians and summoners two noticed that, during this time, Auron had not disappeared any more than he already had. Though he was faintly translucent, there was still enough of him left for him to be solid, and this solid form was what Yuna wrapped her arms around and tightly hugged. She felt Auron stiffen, his entire body tensing at her touch.

"You're not just the guardian of my body, you know?" Yuna murmured as she pressed her cheek against the warmth of Auron's chest. "You're the guardian of my heart. and so, you can't leave."

For a long moment there was silence, broken only by the soft sound of Yuna trying her best not to cry, and the gentle piping of the pyreflies floating in the cavern as they gently swirled and danced. Far away, forgotten, Dona, Isaaru, their guardians and Yuna's watched the scene silently, instinctively knowing they were witnessing something singular and revered. In those few moments, it seemed no one breathed, for fear of disturbing the fragile sight.

After what seemed like an eternity, Auron sighed heavily and seemed to sag, his resolve wavering in Yuna's emotion. It was plain to see that Auron was confused, and utterly bewildered. Nonetheless, his faded arms came up from their place at his sides and gently wrapped around Yuna's shoulders in an unmistakable hug. Nearby, the pyreflies that had begun to fly away drifted towards him, blending into his form until he was fully solid and opaque once more. He bowed his head, gently touching his head to Yuna's. For once, he did not seem to be tantalized by blood, and when he spoke, there was no trace of pain in his voice at all.

"Fine." Auron murmured, his voice barely audible to even the keenest of observers. "I won't leave."

Yuna burst into a fresh bout of tears and hugged him tighter.

Author's note:

Frig, this was hard to write. I'm not usually for all this weepy stuff. I think I'm gonna have a lot more fun writing about how everyone will react to this tender little scene.

(Not that this has to do with anything, but I think Yuna and Auron would make a veeeeeerrry interesting couple. Screw the age difference, it's less than that of an Aurikku.)


	12. What Everyone Thinks of Auron

1 Deliver Me  
  
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This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft, except the vampire one about Auron. That is MINE and mine alone.  
  
= = = = =  
  
Summary: Auron needs pep talks—this is getting bad…  
  
= = = = =  
  
Thunder Plains  
  
= = = = =  
  
On the trip back to Bevelle, Auron led the group, as usual. Despite the fact that he moved slower than he usually did and occasionally had to sit down to rest, Auron seemed to be normal. However, he kept his words to a bare minimum and occasionally went silent for hours on end. Rikku found herself missing his voice and his cocky statements after battle. True, she HAD found them annoying, but at least Auron SAID something. At least he made noise, like he was still alive.  
  
"He never was alive, not as long as I've known him, but this deathly quiet is just too freaky, even for him!"  
  
Rikku was so busy mulling over her doubts that she accidentally walked into Kimahri and sliced her arm half open on the deadly sharp side of his Spirit Lance. For the first few seconds, she felt nothing. But, as she felt wetness trickling down into her palm and saw the lurid crimson of blood on her pale skin…  
  
"OOOOOOWWWWW!"  
  
Auron whipped around, his sword already drawn. In a flash, everyone was armed, looking swiftly around for the enemy. When they found there was none, they turned to glare accusingly at Rikku, but their scolds died on their lips when they saw her frantically trying to stop the gushing river of blood that was literally pouring out of her arm.  
  
Yuna dashed forward to heal her young cousin. Nobody noticed Auron staring at Rikku's lacerated arm with a strange and burning fascination.  
  
Nobody but Rikku.  
  
She shuddered and turned away from the almost raw look of hunger and longing in the elder guardian's eyes. It was like that every time someone bled; Auron changed from calm and rational to something wild looking and desperate…. Rikku felt sick, and not just because she'd lost a lot of blood. The fact that Auron, to whom self-control was practically a religion, could so totally lose it whenever blood was in the air nauseated her. That, and the fact that he wanted to drink blood in the first place.  
  
"Are you all right?" Yuna asked, her concerned voice bringing Rikku back to Earth.  
  
"Uh…" Rikku blinked.  
  
"Do you feel dizzy? Nauseous?" Yuna pressed.  
  
"A little." Rikku admitted.  
  
Something flew at her head and Rikku swung one hand up to catch it.  
  
"Eat something sweet for blood loss." Maroda advised. "One of Isaaru's cookies ought to take care of it."  
  
"Why do you have cookies?" Dona asked, looking at Isaaru curiously.  
  
"Pacce likes them." Isaaru explained, ruffling the mentioned brother's hair. "And besides, you wouldn't believe how much blood we lost on the pilgrimage."  
  
"Can we just all quit talking about blood?" Rikku thought as she unwrapped the white paper from the irregularly shaped cookie and took a bite of the confectionary sweet. Sugar flooded her mouth and Rikku shut her eyes, momentarily in bliss.  
  
"Yummy…"  
  
While she was snacking, Yuna moved quietly over to Auron and touched him on the arm. He looked down at her.  
  
"Are you all right?" She asked softly.  
  
He shrugged. "There isn't much that can be done."  
  
"Nonetheless, for you to see blood—,"  
  
"Don't talk about it." Auron cut her off with a sharp shake of his head. "Please. Thinking about it makes me…" He did not say anything, but Yuna could see the muscles of his jaw tighten as he clenched his teeth.  
  
Yuna nodded sympathetically, seeing his tension. "I see."  
  
Auron began to shift uncomfortably from foot to foot. "I need something to eat." He grumbled, his words so soft that Yuna almost didn't hear him. However, she did, and before she could gasp in surprise at his open confession of his hunger, Auron raised his voice and looked at Isaaru.  
  
"Let me have one of those cookies."  
  
Rikku stopped munching on her cookie to stare at Auron. In fact, everyone stared, surprised and shocked that he'd ask for a sweet.  
  
"Certainly." Isaaru recovered his composure quickly and reached inside the folds of his blue multi-layered robe to toss a cookie to Auron. The aged guardian caught it in one hand and quickly flicked the wrapper open. Everyone stared as he swiftly popped the entire cookie into his mouth, and, instead of immediately spitting it out like they all expected, actually chewed and swallowed. For a long moment, there was silence as Auron thoughtfully paused. In the silence, little Pacce spoke up.  
  
"Good, huh?" Pacce seemed to be the only one unfazed by Auron's sudden decision to eat cookies.  
  
Auron nodded stiffly, and Yuna couldn't help but giggle as he silently unhooked the ceramic tokkuri from his side and took a long drink of the powerful sake he carried with him always. He grimaced as the strong liquid coursed down his throat, but he needed something—anything—to get rid of the horribly sweet taste in his mouth. Besides, the strong alcohol helped with his unholy cravings somewhat.  
  
Reassured by the more usual sight of Auron drinking, Rikku quietly finished her cookie and when she rose to her feet she found herself feeling much refreshed and a lot perkier. Despite the fact she was on the Thunder Plains, the thunder-phobic girl grinned and spun around, for once not fearing lightning. Dizziness hit her in a wave and, as she tottered and fell, Wakka grabbed her and set her gently down on the ground.  
  
"I think we need a break, ya?" He said, glancing around the group.  
  
Dona shrugged but was already sinking gracefully to the ground. "Whatever."  
  
Pacce sat happily down on the path and promptly began to yank Isaaru's blue robe, demanding a cookie. The summoner smiled indulgently at him, but shook his head 'no', making his auburn hair glimmer.  
  
Yuna finally sat down on the ground, and that seemed to be the signal for everyone else to take a rest. Auron exhaled quietly as he sat down, but the pained noise was just loud enough to catch Yuna's attention.  
  
"Are you really all right?" She asked, looking at him.  
  
"Don't worry about me, Yuna."  
  
It was a rather strange thing for him to say. For one thing, Yuna worried about everyone, and for another, she was the only one who seemed not to be worried about his curse. Ever since finding out that he wanted to drink blood, everyone but Yuna stayed a good distance from him, even Yuna's other guardians. Their distance pained him, but the elder guardian was comforted in the fact that Yuna, the one who mattered most, was not afraid of him.  
  
She fixed him with her varicolored eyes and frowned, but chose to say nothing. Instead, she only folded her hands neatly in her lap and leaned very slightly against Auron.  
  
They both knew what she was doing. It was resistance training. Auron shut his one eye, battling the thoughts of eating that were flying through his mind. It was hard to do, especially with Yuna leaning against his shoulder, but it got a little easier each time to hold on to his normal self and not give into the fiendish urges. He hadn't given in, not yet, but Auron was pretty sure that unless he continually trained himself to resist, he would fall prey to his hunger sooner or later.  
  
"And as Yuna's the one who affects me the most, it makes sense that she is the one who trains me."  
  
Yuna was training herself, as well. She hid it excellently, but inwardly she was just as much as afraid of her legendary guardian as anyone else. After all, he had admitted that for a long time, it had been her—and only her—that he'd ever thought about eating. Yuna got a sudden mental picture of Auron slashing her open and shuddered; it was a disturbingly easy scene to form, since Yuna had traveled with him so long that she knew each and every one of his sword moves. With a deep breath she calmed herself and also closed her eyes.  
  
"That will never happen. He has too much self control to do such a thing."  
  
Yet as much as she told herself that, Yuna was never entirely sure.  
  
"Such an inhuman look enters his face whenever blood is in the air…"  
  
Auron suddenly sat up straight and Yuna almost toppled backwards. Clapping both hands to the ground to steady herself, she belatedly realized how heavily she had been leaning on him. The pressure of her body must have been driving him mad.  
  
"Where are you going?" Maroda asked as Auron got to his feet.  
  
"Scouting the area for fiends." Auron replied.  
  
"Oh, okay. Have f—OW!" For some reason Maroda winced and grabbed his side. Then, after directing a baleful glare at his older brother Isaaru, he looked back at Auron.  
  
"Do…you want me to come?" Maroda asked hesitantly, starting to get up. Yuna noticed Isaaru discreetly withdraw one hand, a hand that had undoubtedly been jabbing Maroda in the ribs.  
  
"Thanks, but I'll be fine." Auron said, looking at him. Turning, he said to Yuna, "I'll be back in a few minutes."  
  
Walking down the way they'd come, he disappeared when he stepped down a dip in the path and reappeared about a hundred feet later when the road picked up again. Yuna frowned. He was traveling an unusually long distance…  
  
Glancing over his shoulder every now and then Auron checked the distance between himself and the camp. When the small gathering finally disappeared from sight, Auron headed for the nearest lightning tower and sat down to rest. Looking around, however, he realized that he was not sitting underneath a lightning tower.  
  
"This shelter…"  
  
It was the same one that Yuna had led her guardians to roughly three months before. Auron sighed heavily as he recalled the scene.  
  
"Even leaving her presence does not help reduce my bloodlust. Mere memories of her make me feel…"  
  
"No. Stop thinking that way. YOU DON'T WANT BLOOD."  
  
"Oh Yevon, what would Braska think of me? Wanting to consume his daughter…the other guardians…he'd be shocked. Horrified."  
  
"…like everyone is right now…"  
  
He uncorked the ceramic tokkuri at his side and took a swig of the strong alcohol. By now, he'd drunk half the jar and was starting to feel the effects of the booze. When Auron put the jar down, he blinked dully when the faded apparition of his friend Jecht faced him, arms folded and face cross. He looked exactly the same as he had in life; his shoulder- length hair was still ragged and messy, and he still persisted in walking around half-naked, wearing only swimming trunks and an elaborate orange cloth over his right leg. Lightning flashed; curiously, light glinted off of the guard he wore on his left arm.  
  
"Ho, Jecht." Auron swung his tokkuri up in greeting.  
  
Jecht did not return the salutation. Instead, he frowned and pointed one translucent hand at the tokkuri.  
  
"It helps me relax." Auron replied, corking the jar nonetheless. "And I'm extremely stressed at the moment."  
  
Jecht rolled his eyes, shaking his head. Then he sat down, and folded his arms again. The stormy expression in his dark eyes clearly said, "TALK".  
  
Auron shook his head. "I'm not in the mood, Jecht. I'm tired, confused, and very hungry."  
  
Jecht's glare only became stormier and finally, Auron, unable to stand the menace in his friend's eyes, decided to confess. Jecht was no priest, but he was there, and Auron had the overwhelming urge to cleanse his soul, especially in light of the most recent events.  
  
"I don't mind the fact that I lied to all of my comrades about my…problem." Auron said, gesturing with one hand in the general direction of the camp. "But…it's a terrible thing. They're all afraid of me; I can sense it. I can even see it. They all stay back from me, like they think I'll bite them or something along those lines."  
  
His voice had become steadily more and more bitter as he spoke, but when after a moment of silence Auron spoke again, his voice was soft and somewhat sad.  
  
"They're people I trust and respect, Jecht. I can't…stand it…if they're afraid of me. It makes me feel more a like monster than I already do."  
  
Jecht frowned; he was puzzled.  
  
"Why do I feel like a monster?"  
  
The dark-haired man nodded, and pushed some hair out of his face that the red kerchief on his head hadn't blocked.  
  
Auron's voice became harsh. "In case you haven't noticed, I want to drink blood. I want to eat human flesh. I've turned into something of a vampire, Jecht. If that doesn't qualify as monstrous, I don't know what does."  
  
Jecht began to shake his head as soon as Auron uttered the word 'monstrous' and continued to shake his head until Auron was done speaking. For the first time in the exchange, the dark-skinned man spoke, and his voice seemed to echo, as if he were shouting at the bottom of a long well.  
  
"Auron, ya whiny, self-pitying bastard, you ain't no monster. You work yer ass off to keep the group safe; you keep from doing anything bad yerself. Auron, it isn't what you ARE that determines whether yer a monster or not—it's what you DO. And you do good, Auron. Keep it up."  
  
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Jecht, but,"  
  
"What Auron see?"  
  
Auron swung his gaze away from the apparition of Jecht to see Kimahri looking down at him. The Ronso was looking at the place where Jecht was—or where Jecht had been. When Auron looked at the spot a second time, his old friend was gone.  
  
"Did I imagine all of that? Or was Jecht actually there?"  
  
"Hn. So, my actions, not myself, determine what I am…"  
  
"Kimahri, what you do think?" Auron asked, looking back at the blue-furred creature as he felt the sudden urge for a second opinion. The bipedal lion looked at him, a frown on his feline features.  
  
"About what?" He asked, his deep voice rumbling in his chest.  
  
Auron hesitated to pose the subject. "Me…"  
  
"You mean Auron's blood thirst?" Kimahri inquired.  
  
Auron winced at Kimahri's phrasing. "Yes…"  
  
To his surprise, Kimahri merely shrugged, making the feathers he wore at his back lift up and down. "To each his own, Kimahri once heard."  
  
Auron frowned. "So you're not afraid of me?"  
  
Kimahri's frown deepened and his long tail began to swish back and forth in a somewhat irritated manner. "Why Kimahri be afraid? Auron no attack Kimahri."  
  
"I could." Auron replied.  
  
"Won't." Kimahri said firmly.  
  
Auron mulled silently over Kimahri's fearlessness. Personally, he found it hard to believe that Kimahri could be so confident.  
  
"How can he trust me so much when I don't even trust myself?"  
  
"What if I attack you?" Auron asked, more to himself than to Kimahri, although the Ronso did perk up his ears. "Or someone else? What if I give in to the hunger? Become…a fiend?"  
  
"Kimahri no let that happen." The blue-furred creature said sharply, his small golden eyes narrowing.  
  
"You swear?" Auron asked, looking up. Kimahri, like Yuna, flinched at the expression on his face.  
  
"Too open. Too vulnerable to attack."  
  
"Kimahri swear." Kimahri said solemnly.  
  
"By the horns of your ancestors?" Auron pressed, demanding the most sacred of Ronso swears.  
  
Kimahri felt a pang of pain in his heart; the customary way to finish the swear was to touch the tip of his horn to the horn of the person who invoked it, but as his horn was broken off ("Stupid Ronso brother Biran!) and had no tip on it…  
  
Kimahri walked up to Auron and kneeled down, placing his large clawed hands on Auron's shoulders and gently lowering his head until the broken edge of his horn touched the skin of Auron's forehead. He felt the elder guardian tense and for a single moment the Ronso felt a fluttering of apprehension as he became suddenly aware of just how close Auron was to his throat. Underneath his large hands he felt Auron shaking, and all at once the perceptive Ronso became eerily aware that Auron also knew how close Kimahri's throat was to him. MaybeAuron really WOULD bite Kimahri…  
  
"NO! Kimahri cannot think such things. If Kimahri's confidence shakes, Auron's does too. Must be strong."  
  
"By the sharpest horns." Kimahri solemnly finished the swear and let go of Auron's shoulders, standing up and taking a few steps back to respect Auron's personal space. To his surprise, the aged guardian looked quite shocked.  
  
"You really aren't afraid…" Auron murmured, his voice a mix of quiet admiration and some other emotion Kimahri could not place. "I didn't think you'd do it."  
  
Kimahri took a deep breath to calm himself, but it didn't work. "Of course Kimahri do it." He almost snapped irritably. Hadn't he been saying that for quite some time now? "Auron is Kimahri's friend. For friend, Kimahri do anything."  
  
"Anything…" Auron murmured. Louder, he asked, "Would you kill me if I lose control?"  
  
Kimahri blinked and almost laughed at the absurdity of the question, but he caught the deadly serious look in Auron's eyes and the terrible despair that was quietly eating Auron alive from within.  
  
"Yes." Kimahri promised reluctantly. "If…it happens." Then, impulsively he added, "Kimahri chop off Auron's head. Make sure Auron dead."  
  
He was shocked and very disturbed when Auron actually smiled at his reply. He was even more disturbed when Auron got to his feet and lightly thumped Kimahri on the chest, a familiar gesture that Auron had once used to say 'goodbye' to him.  
  
"Thank you, Kimahri."  
  
With that the scarlet-clad guardian walked down the road, heading back to the camp. Kimahri watched him go, and couldn't help but feel a heavy sense of apprehension grow thick and strong in his heart.  
  
= = = = =  
  
Author's note:  
  
There's a literary term for the stuff I put in here…oh yeah, foreshadowing. Lots and lots of foreshadowing. Is it good? Is it bad? Personally, I believe I could have used more of it in the chapter, and maybe some allusion as well. I dunno; I felt the urge to explain a lot in this chapter, probably because I gave it to some non-gamers to read…  
  
Originally the summary for this was supposed to be "Blood can only be washed out by cold water, because it just grows thicker in heat", and that was supposed to be a reference/allusion to Auron and his feelings for Yuna. Basically, he needs to go 'cold turkey' from her because being around her is just making him feel strange and causing his curse to gain power from his tumultuous feelings.  
  
Maybe I can use that somewhere else…  
  
= = = = = 


	13. Snap

Deliver Me  
  


* * *

  
This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft, except the vampire one about Auron. That is MINE and mine alone.  
  


* * *

  
Summary: Well-meaning gestures can occasionally get one hurt...or eaten.  
  


* * *

  
In the middle of the night Rikku suddenly found herself awake, wide- eyed and staring for no apparent reason. For a moment she lay still in her bedroll, wondering what on God's green earth had possessed her to wake up so quietly, so quickly, and without warning. Yuna had cast a magical shield over the entire party, a modified Protect that kept the rain off, so Rikku knew she couldn't have been awakened by a splash of water. Then she heard a soft, quiet whimper off to her side.  
  
Slowly the young Al Bhed sat up, her spiral-pupil eyes glancing slowly around the campsite from person to person. Dona and Barthello lay curled up in each other's arms—Isaaru was resting with his three brothers—Yuna, of course, was sleeping, flanked on one side by Kimahri and the other by Rikku. Wakka was sprawled over the ground with his mouth open, while Lulu was sleeping like the dead, perfectly flat on her back and with no trace of movement. Rikku scowled.  
  
"Why can't I sleep like that?"  
  
The whimper made her ears prick up again and Rikku glanced around once more. There—she located the source of the sound at the far edge of the camp, where Auron sat, hunched up on a high outcrop of rock, keeping watch for fiends throughout the night. The elder guardian had deigned a rain shield, and was thus soaking wet, his sodden clothes sticking to him like a second skin. Rikku frowned.  
  
"He really shouldn't do that—he's the oldest one of us all, and he could easily catch a cold or something..."  
  
Quietly Rikku slipped out of her bedroll and pulled on her shoes, keeping her eyes on Auron the entire time. By chance the moon was behind him, silhouetting his hunched figure with a nimbus of silvery light. Like that, he looked lonelier than Rikku had ever seen in her entire life. She felt a pang of sympathy for him, and not just because he was soaking wet.  
  
With steps so quiet that even Kimahri's sharp ears did not catch her, Rikku slipped quietly up to Auron's rock and crept up behind him, resisting the urge to shudder as the cold rain pelted and soon soaked her. Lightning flashed and above her, thunder boomed—Rikku even managed to stifle a scream of fear, all for the sake of coming up quietly.  
  
"He's always so cranky when he wakes up..."  
  
As Rikku neared him she could see he had fallen asleep, his head bowed down to his chest and his back curved as he twitched restlessly in fitful dreams. The Masamune lay in his right hand, which was limp and somewhat relaxed. Every now and then his hand would spasm, tightening momentarily around the sword before relaxing once again. Rikku hesitated—was it wise to get any closer?  
  
"Looks like he's having one hell of a dream...what if he attacks me?"  
  
However, Rikku's humanitarian instincts told her that she just couldn't leave him trapped in a nightmare, so hesitantly she reached out and began shaking Auron very gently by one shoulder.  
  
"Hey." She whispered. "Hey, wake up."  
  
From his body came only the whimper that had awakened Rikku before and she couldn't help but wince at the sound. Auron was strong; he wasn't supposed to make such a...helpless... noise.  
  
The blonde teen began to shake him a little harder, putting both her hands on his broad shoulders as she sat down on the ground. "Hey. Hey!"  
  
She didn't notice him tense, or hear the soft growl that came from his partially opened mouth.  
  
"Wake up. You're having a nightmare." Rikku whispered, leaning closer. "Are you awake? Wake up, Auron! You're,"  
  
She stopped speaking as she suddenly became aware of Auron breathing underneath her. Breathing normally wasn't a motion that she detected; but when someone was heaving, gasping for air like a man about to drown—or an animal on the prowl—she certainly couldn't ignore that.  
  
A creeping chill began to slither up Rikku's breastbone as the familiar pangs of dread began to make themselves known. As if in response, she heard a soft but deep little growl that made her neck hairs rise and the skin all over her body shiver in fear. Worse than that, she felt the growl underneath her fingertips—it had come from Auron.  
  
Slowly Rikku let go of Auron's shoulders; slowly she got to her feet; slowly she turned, ready to run  
  


* * *

  
Too slow!  
  
Without warning Auron suddenly lunged up off the rock in an impressive show of dexterity Rikku had not thought him possible of, his sword flying, forgotten, off to the side as he moved. Like a hunting cat he leaped into the air and twisted to face Rikku, grabbing her by the arms and knocking her down as he used his superior strength to pin her to the rock. Rikku would have screamed in fear, but her head banged against the rock so painfully that stars did not just explode in her eyes, they went nova, and filled her entire sight with blinding illumination. Groaning, she felt a dull ache make itself known at the back of her head. Waves of pain began to throb in sickening regularity throughout her cranium, accompanied by the strange, glowing red light that was emitting from Auron's good eye.  
  
He eyed his prey with one good eye, one eye that blazed red, the color of blood. He liked his dry lips in anticipation—the first kill would taste so good, so good  
  


* * *

  
"No!"  
  
No what? There was nothing to think about, he thought, as he slid one paw up to the prey's chest and pinned it down, leaning his full weight on it so it could not escape. Something about that—thinking, not pinning—bothered him. He shook his head and growled irritably. Hunger was making him go fuzzy.  
  
"NO!"  
  
The prey made a small groaning noise and began to move its head, shifting its exposed neck from side to side. No good. With his other paw he grasped the prey's head and pressed it down, pressing its face into the cold stone on which he kneeled. It was easy to work his fingers into the prey's hair—it was soft and unbound from the usual ponytail she wore it in. For a moment he stared at the soft golden mess, trying to think—or maybe trying to forget—where he had seen it before.  
  
"No, no, no, please, for the love of Yevon, no..."  
  
He shook his head angrily, trying to clear the no-sound voice from it. It was distracting him, distracting him from his food, distracting him from his prey.  
  
The prey opened its mouth and said something, made a noise that sounded like "Auron?" He frowned. The noise was familiar. Achingly so. What was so important about that noise?  
  
The ache of not knowing made him remember the ache in his body, the one that could be satisfied by biting the prey in the neck and digging his teeth into the prey's veins. He leaned down, wresting his face free of the thing around his neck as he opened his mouth and licked the prey's neck to find the big vein.  
  
"NO! GOD, NO! SOMEBODY! STOP ME!"  
  
The prey shuddered and began to whimper. It didn't bother him. Prey often made such noises.  
  
He found the big vein and, almost delicately, touched his teeth to it. He felt the rhythm and pulse of life underneath the skin, felt the warmth of the prey's lifeblood.  
  
"Somebody stop me...please..."  
  
Abruptly lightning flashed, illuminating everything in stark detail. Rain splattered the face of the prey, mixing with the tears streaming down its—her—cheeks. Her eyes were open now, showing bright green irises with the most unusual spiral pupils  
  


* * *

  
{flash}  
  
"Open your eyes."  
  
"..."  
  
"...I see."  
  
"Um...no good?"  
  
{flash}  
  
Auron jerked back as though he'd been struck and fell on his backside, eye wide.  
  
"Oh god..." He gasped in a hushed, horrified whisper. Rikku watched, fascinated, as the reddish light in his one eye dimmed—faded—disappeared altogether as Auron slowly but surely began to shake. There was water coursing down his face; whether it was rain or tears Rikku could not tell.  
  
"Oh god..." He repeated, his voice louder but no less horrified as the full shock of his actions hit upon him. Trying desperately to blot out the memory Auron pressed his hands over his face and began to rock slowly back and forth, moaning incoherently to himself. Slowly, Rikku began to back away.  
  
She felt the suffocating aura of a Silence spell clap onto her. Instantly wary of a fiend attack she whipped around, trying to scream a warning—but no sound came from her mouth. However, there was no need to scream an alarm. Much to her relief and horror, everyone in the camp was now awake. Yuna looked paler than Lulu, her whiteness of her skin a testament to her shock. Every detail was painfully clear on the young summoner—her wide, shocked eyes, her tight figure, her clenched jaws...Rikku could see her cousin's plea in her eyes.  
  
"Please oh please oh please don't let it be what it looks like, please let it be a misunderstanding..."  
  
"Are you hurt?" Lulu asked in a low, soft voice.  
  
Rikku, being unable to talk from the Silence spell, could only shake her head in reply.  
  
"Get down here." Dona said softly, her eyes riveted on Auron's shaking figure. "Who knows what that monster is going to do..."  
  
Rikku felt a flare of anger at the woman's attitude; how DARE she call Auron a monster!  
  
"That bitch!" She thought furiously. "Where does she get off calling Auron THAT!?"  
  
"But then again...he did attack me..."  
  
Behind her Auron shuddered—practically convulsed—and moved his hands from his face to his arms so he hugged himself, as if trying to keep his body from flying apart—or maybe his soul. Nonetheless Rikku began to creep down the rock, trying to make as little noise as possible. Yuna stepped forward to meet her.  
  
"What happened?" She asked in a soft voice, kneeling down to place one hand on her young cousin's back. Rikku didn't say anything; for one thing, the Silence spell on her would have prevented any sound from escaping her mouth, and for another, it seemed Yuna was asking a rhetorical question.  
  
"She already knows what happened..." Rikku thought sadly.  
  
Her sadness changed to panic as Yuna rose to her feet and began to walk carefully toward Sir Auron.  
  
"Yuna, no!" Rikku cried out—but although her mouth made the motions she couldn't make herself heard. She cursed the Silence spell.  
  
"Yuna!" Lulu's voice was panicked, sharp.  
  
"Yuna!" Wakka tried to run to her, but Kimahri stopped him with a hand on his chest, narrowing his feline eyes.  
  
"No move." He said harshly. "Startle Auron. Make him attack."  
  
"But Lady Yuna is going to get hurt!" Isaaru hissed in a sharp, angry tone quite unlike his usual voice.  
  
Kimahri shook his head and set an example for the guardians by stepping forward lightly, his furred feline feet masking the sound of his footsteps. Carefully he raised the Spirit Lance over his head, and advanced.  
  
"Auron...?" Yuna asked shakily as she approached. He flinched visibly at the mention of his name, but did not look up.  
  
"Auron...say something..." Yuna dared to step a little closer. "Are you all right?"  
  
"Didn't I tell you..." He whispered softly.  
  
"What?" Yuna leaned a little closer, listening hard for his words. "What did you say?" She asked softly, in as gentle a tone she could manage.  
  
Behind her, Kimahri slid a little closer to Auron and carefully aimed his spear, pointing the long golden blade directly at the elder guardian's head. His throat tightened—behind him, the guardian party tensed, their eyes riveted on the three figures on the rock.  
  
"Didn't I tell you..." Auron repeated, looking slowly up to face Yuna. "That...I was no good to you...this way?"  
  
Yuna met his one eye and physically had to grind her feet into the ground to stop herself from retreating. There was a raw, open desolation in Auron's face, an expression of such naked pain that Yuna had never seen—sympathy tears sprang to her eyes and Yuna had to press one hand to her mouth to stop herself from voicing a cry of pity.  
  
"I was a fool...to think that I could stop it. That I could...ignore it." Auron whispered, shaking his head slowly. "It's a part of me. I can't lock it away."  
  
For a while the only thing Yuna and the guardian party could hear was the heavy dripping of rain hitting the ground. Kimahri might have heard Auron crying.  
  
"I can't lock it away..." Auron breathed, and slowly, he seemed to calm down.  
  
Yuna couldn't help but shriek as Auron suddenly seemed to fly off the rock, springing backwards into an impossibly long and high backward jump that placed him fifty feet away and on the path below his outcropping of stone. At almost the same time and just in front of her, Kimahri's Spirit Blade sent sparks and slivers of rock flying as the Ronso grunted and threw his weight down on the spear with all his strength.  
  
"Damn! Kimahri miss!" Kimahri swore vehemently as he stated the obvious. An audible sigh of relief—or maybe consternation—swept over the guardian party. Neither Auron nor Yuna seemed to notice Kimahri's slip, or the sigh.  
  
"I'm no good to you like this..." Auron said softly, his voice carrying to Yuna nonetheless. "No good...at all..."  
  
And before anyone could stop him Auron turned and fled, running into the darkness of the night.  
  


* * *

  
Author's note:  
  
Hmm. Auron's lost it.  
  
Well, had to happen sometime.  
  
Sorry for being so callous—OW! *head jerks back as friends Sha-chan and Alli-chan pelt heavy objects at her* But I'm just being objective. Don't kill me! *ducks and runs when they come after her with sharp objects*  
  
But seriously, reading over this sucker the second time makes me feel sorry for the dude. Only—I think I could have put some more bits in...what do you think?  
  
= = = = = 


	14. A New Pilgrimage

Deliver Me  
  


* * *

  
This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft, except the vampire one about Auron. That is MINE and mine alone.  
  


* * *

  
Summary: Catfight! With a cat-creature's intervention.  
  


* * *

  
Scarcely seconds after Auron's dark figure had disappeared in the pouring sheets of rain that covered the Thunder Plains at night, Yuna turned to her traveling companions and stated firmly, "I'm going after him."  
  
There was a general gasp of shock and disbelief that swept over the entire group, punctuated by a few louder cries of incredulity.  
  
"Yuna, you're insane!" Dona exhorted.  
  
Isaaru nodded emphatically. "Yes! To venture after Sir Auron,"  
  
"Crazy!" Lulu finished, her low voice thundering like a spell.  
  
Rikku, still under the Silence spell, could only nod furiously to express her agreement.  
  
Yuna was unaffected by their words. "He is my guardian, and my friend. I cannot let him suffer such a thing alone."  
  
Wakka stepped to the front of the ground, shaking his fists. His voice was calmer than those of the two summoners and his fellow Besaidian, but there was still enough force in his voice to command the group's attention. "Yuna, this isn't exactly something you can help with. He's on his own with this sort of thing, ya?"  
  
"And he's dangerous!" Dona added vehemently. She pointed at Rikku. "You saw what he was about to do to her!"  
  
"But he didn't." Yuna said firmly, calmly. However, underneath the veneer of her serene tone of voice, it was easy to see that she was steadily losing her temper.  
  
"It doesn't change the fact that he lost control!" Lulu said sharply. "Yuna, he could attack you!"  
  
"He will not." Yuna said in an almost testy tone of voice. It was the first time anyone had heard her sound anything in the least bit annoyed, but everyone was too concentrated on making her give up her crusade to notice her tone of voice.  
  
"He very well could!" Lulu stepped up, coming up to the forefront of the argument both physically and verbally. Jabbing one long, purple fingernail into Yuna's breastbone hard enough to dent the tender skin, she said, "We could all understand why you would stand by him after he was cursed, but this...this—!"  
  
Yuna stepped back, partly to stop Lulu from poking her and also to look at the situation, mentally and physically. As she moved back, she bumped into Kimahri, who had been calmly standing behind and off to the side of her the entire time. Yuna jerked a bit in surprise at the feel of his short blue fur against the bare skin of her back and as she looked up at him, Yuna couldn't help but wonder if Kimahri was going to go against her too. He, like almost everybody there, was a guardian, one of her own. But, at the same time, he was Auron's friend, the closest one he had in their small group. Surely he would not deny her the chance to go after Auron, and see if she could make things right.  
  
Kimahri didn't disappoint her. He placed one warm, large hand on her shoulder and gave her a nod of approval. Heartened, Yuna looked back at the group.  
  
"Please, everyone, understand." Yuna said plaintively. "Auron is my friend, as he is yours. I cannot—it goes against my nature to let him run off like that, guilty and alone."  
  
"Guilty and alone—" Dona scoffed, putting one hand to her head and shaking it in exasperation. "Hungry and ferocious is more like it. He's probably running away to find more people he can eat."  
  
Yuna's varicolored eyes flashed dangerously and an expression of real anger flickered on her face.  
  
"Yuna, we can't let you do this." Lulu said in a much more conciliatory and much firmer tone.  
  
Yuna looked at her friend, and when she spoke her voice also became calmer. "Lulu, I must. As I have said before, I can't let him be alone like that. I have to find him...calm him..." Her expression darkened as she bowed her head and looked slightly off to the side. "Even send him, if need be..."  
  
"You did that once already. Did it help?" Lulu asked in terse, sardonic tones.  
  
Yuna chose to combat Lulu's sharp tongue with an arrow of her own. "I also sent Lady Ginnem in the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth."  
  
Lulu's ruby eyes narrowed to garnet slits. "What does that," She began to ask.  
  
Yuna quickly added, "Lulu—you know what happened to Lady Ginnem in the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth. You know how she became a fiend." Her voice gained strength as Yuna began to realize just how powerful a point she was about to make. "Lulu, wouldn't you have done anything— anything, despite the danger—to save her from death, and stop her from becoming a monster?"  
  
Lulu flinched as thought she'd been struck. Wakka and Rikku looked at her, concerned.  
  
"It's the same thing with me, Lulu." Yuna said passionately, sensing she was about to win. "Lulu, please—I have to go after Sir Auron. I must make sure the same fate does not consume him."  
  
Lulu was silent. Quietly she bowed her head and looked off to the side, holding her right arm at the elbow in a pose of uncertainty and melancholy.  
  
Dona was not as touched by Yuna's point at Lulu had been. For one thing, she'd never known Lady Ginnem, or Lulu's feelings during the fight against Yojimbo. For another thing, she most definitely did not want to see Yuna go off on some foolhardy mission. Seeing that Yuna was beyond the point of being persuaded (not only did she have a look of determination on her face, there was also just no arguing with fanatics and fools, in Dona's opinion) Dona rounded on Kimahri, who so far had not said a single word.  
  
"And I suppose you approve of this course of action?" Dona said in scathing tones.  
  
Kimahri didn't blink. Instead he inclined his head and brought it back up again in a definite nod. Dona was momentarily surprised—two fools instead of one? While she mulled over his reaction, Isaaru took her place in the fray. However, instead of going at Kimahri or attacking Yuna, Isaaru decided to appeal to the young summoner's powers of reason.  
  
"Lady Yuna—we all understand how much you want to help Sir Auron. But you must consider the consequences." Isaaru stepped forward, his arms outstretched, his voice persuasive and understanding. "If, Yevon forbid, he HAS turned into a fiend, what will you do?"  
  
Yuna hesitated—the first flicker of indecision anyone had seen in her thus far. "I..." She looked down at the ground, averting her gaze from those of everyone else.  
  
Isaaru pressed further. "Do you think you will be able to do what is necessary to relieve Sir Auron of his pain?"  
  
Yuna bowed her head, looking down at the ground. Her grip tightened around her Nirvana staff. Everyone present could tell her resolve was wavering. However, they were all sharply disappointed when Yuna looked up, and nodded grimly.  
  
"I will do what I must." She said in a soft, resolute voice. Wakka and Lulu, even as dismayed as they were at her choice, couldn't help but feel a bittersweet surge of pride at their 'little sister's' resolve. Kimahri, to those who knew him well, was beaming at Yuna with great joy and pride in an almost paternal fashion. To those who didn't know him well, though, he didn't even bat an eyelid or twitch his tail, much like Yuna was not moving a single inch in her resolve.  
  
Lulu, who had been until now looking off to the side, sighed heavily and put one hand to her head, shaking it as she said, "Stubborn." Dropping her hands to her sides, Lulu said, "If you persist in this quest of yours, Yuna..." She stepped forward, and placed her hands on Yuna's shoulders. "Then I, as your guardian, will come along with you."  
  
A gasp of surprise flowed throughout the group as a slow, lopsided grin began to tilt the corners of Wakka's mouth.  
  
"Hey, what the heck." He began to chuckle softly, making everyone turn to look in surprise at him. Thumbing himself in the chest, he grinned, saying, "Count me in."  
  
Rikku, still Silenced, punched the air, rising up onto one foot.  
  
Yuna looked at her three guardians, gratitude and rising tears making her eyes shine. A feeling, warm and stuffy, pervaded her chest, making it tight with emotion. "You all..." She managed a watery smile, still beautiful in the rain that poured down from the sky. Bowing deeply to her guardians, she murmured, "Thank you. Thank you all so much."  
  


* * *

  
As usual, Dona was blunt and right to business.  
  
"What in Yevon's name do we tell those in Bevelle?" She demanded of Yuna once she'd straightened up. "They're all going to wonder where you are, you know."  
  
Yuna hesitated, unconsciously gripping her hands. Lulu frowned. Wakka looked puzzled. The three of them exchanged worried glances. Apparently, none of them had thought that far.  
  
Rikku suddenly jerked as though she'd been struck by lightning, and began to jump enthusiastically up and down, pointing at her mouth. At first no one knew what she was doing. Then  
  


* * *

  
"Oh!" Yuna hurriedly cast Esuna on her young cousin, relieving her of the Silence spell. With a comical 'pop' Rikku's mouth sprang open.  
  
"Finally!" Rikku whooped. "I can talk again!"  
  
Spinning around on her heel, Rikku smiled and made her green eyes cheekily flash at Dona as she pointed and said,  
  
"You want to know what to tell Bevelle? Then tell them this—Yuna's on the road again—in fact, she's on a new pilgrimage."  
  
"Pilgrimage for what?" Isaaru inquired.  
  
Yuna smiled beatifically. "A pilgrimage...to save someone's soul."  
  


* * *

  
Author's note:  
  
One of the damned longest things I've ever taken to write. I've had difficulty retyping this chapter, but that's okay—hopefully it's better than the one that was up here before. DeGonGin, thanks for your constructive criticism—it's always welcome with me. And you will appear in the story, I swear! I've got it all planned out  
  


* * *

  
Just not typed.  
  
Ah well. I bet I'll be just cranking out chapters after this—hopefully good ones. Sorry the wait was so long. I'll make it up to you faithful readers, promise!  
  
= = = = = 


	15. New and Improved

Deliver Me  
  


* * *

  
This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.  
  


* * *

  
Summary: An object at rest will remain at rest until some force acts upon it—physics. What can you do?  
  
= = = = = Calm Lands = = = = =  
  
Surrounded by tall mountains, and overshadowed by the snowy glory that was Mt. Gagazet, the Calm Lands sat immersed in the cool light of darkness, the obsidian shadows hiding each and every thing across the flat plains in total black. Silence rolled across the Calm Lands too, thick and heavy as a blanket, or the clouds that often rolled down from the lofty mountain peaks, and caressed the Calm Lands with a fine sheen of crystal dew. Auron was no exception to this morning mist.  
  
He had stayed still the entire night, sitting in a place only a scant foot away from the place where he had...died. His Masamune was no longer with him, but another sword, his most basic of swords, the Katana, lay unsheathed on the ground beside him, its still sharpened blade gleaming as it was touched by the first rays of morning light. There was a subdued silence over the entire scene. If one had cared to add a brazier off to the side and maybe a rack of swords, Auron would have been the perfect picture of a samurai contemplating his duty...  
  
Or perhaps his death.  
  
The initial shock and shame of his near atrocity had worn off after the first day or so, but there remained in him a dull, throbbing ache, somewhat akin to hunger but more like the deep, corrosive, soul-burning hatred that turned so many unsent souls into fiends. Unlike fiends, however, Auron did not hate the living. Instead, with all his heart, and what remained of his soul, he hated himself.  
  
To a man who self-control was more important than breathing the air, losing to his bestial side and coming too damn close to killing Rikku was two steps away from unbearable. Every now and then Auron's right hand, his sword hand, would twitch, as if itching to take the Katana next to him and plunge it deep into his chest. But somehow, the hand never got further than a twitch, and somehow, Auron managed to keep himself from suicide. Maybe it was a self-preservation instinct— maybe he didn't have the courage. Whatever it was, Auron could not, consciously or even subconsciously, bring himself to end his life. At least, not while he was agonizing over and over in his head.  
  
"They won't forgive me, not for this. Even Yuna will shun me for what I've done."  
  
While his mind was thinking such thoughts, his one eye stared at the grassy spot where, ten years ago, he had fallen and officially died. He didn't know why he was here now, staring at the place. A keen observer might have theorized that Auron wanted to die again, only this time permanently, never to resurrect as he always had before. It would have explained his peculiar fascination with the grassy spot— certainly would have explained the unsheathed sword at his side. But this was all in theory. Nothing would be proven unless Auron actually did something.  
  
And judging by the stock-still way he had sat for the better part of the night, that wasn't going to be any time soon.  
  
"Heheheheheheheh..."  
  
The soft, mocking laugh made Auron look slowly up and search for the source of the noise. On some level, he was annoyed. On another, he was deathly worried. He had come to the Calm Lands to be alone—whatever person was laughing at him was not only ticking him off, but was placing himself in grave danger. Auron certainly didn't want to kill anyone...  
  
But as he located the source of the noise, Auron decided he could definitely make an exception.  
  
Still favoring his bare-chest style, Seymour now wore what looked suspiciously like a loosely tied kimono with the exceptionally long and flowing sleeves that he seemed to favor. The kimono was dark blue, lined with a paler blue border that shimmered faintly whenever Seymour moved. Over his black pants he wore the same gold rope net that he usually wore with his maestorial robes, but his shoes were considerably plainer, almost nondescript enough to be termed as journeyer's boots. For some inexplicable reason his hair was longer than usual and the two long horns of his stiff blue mane swept down and around him to form a sort of pale blue frame around his body. His hair had gotten so long that the tips threatened to sweep the ground if Seymour decided to walk. However, he opted for the aerial approach, and hovered mockingly in the air, floating a good twenty feet above Auron. Around him, like a ghostly aura, a shocking number of pyreflies hovered in the air, weaving and drifting around Seymour as if they could not bear to leave him.  
  
"My, my, my, how the mighty have fallen." Seymour crooned in mocking tones.  
  
Auron got to his feet, determined not the face the demented ex- maester sitting down. "What do you want?" He asked in a virtual growl.  
  
"Just to see how my little pet project was doing." Seymour said airily, waving his clawed hand in the air.  
  
"Pet project?" Auron's steadily rising voice was only the slightest indicator of how angry he actually felt.  
  
"It's all his fault, all HIS fault, that I lost control! He amplified my hunger to the point where I could not stop it anymore!"  
  
"I'm going to kill him...permanently!"  
  
Seymour looked quite unaware of Auron's great anger. "Yes, pet project. You see, I have several running. The first is taking the pyreflies of others to amplify my own powers. As you can see," He indicated with a sweep of one arm and a fluttering of blue cloth, "It's been quite successful. Let me give you a demonstration."  
  
Auron hurled himself off to the side as Seymour almost carelessly snapped his fingers and sent a white-hot beam of light, thick as a tree trunk and only slightly slower than lightning, screaming right at him. The light burned into the ground, making the earth shudder as it blasted deep, and the scent of burning soil filled the air.  
  
Rolling agilely to his feet, Auron snatched up his Katana in a single, dexterous movement and held it up at the ready, his eye on Seymour.  
  
Seymour laughed when he saw the Katana. "Oh, come now. You don't actually think you can hurt me with THAT, can you?" Several of the pyreflies at Seymour's back stopped moving and began to glow with a suspicious white light.  
  
Auron tensed.  
  
Without even the slightest indication from Seymour, the pyreflies emitted a high pitched whine before blasting thin beams of white light. The beams were hot— Auron could see the heat waves coming off them. They were also fast—Auron fancied he could see the air parting for them as they sliced, like demonic arrows, through the wind to reach him. Even though he saw all this in what seemed to be slow motion, Auron knew that he would not be able to dodge.  
  
"Block!"  
  
He swung his Katana up in a blind effort to shield himself, grimly steadfast against the white arrows that were flying at breakneck speed toward him. Reflexively, he shut his eye, not wanting to see what the arrows would do to him once they hit him.  
  
Unknown to him, but easily visible to Seymour, a group of pyreflies suddenly rushed up from the ground and placed themselves in front of Auron. Seymour's eyes narrowed—how had the old man conjured those up? There weren't any large sources of pyreflies in this area—the ones at Seymour's back were only there because he'd brought them. And—were those pyreflies actually in the 'shape' of something?  
  
Seymour's energy arrows struck the pyreflies in front of Auron and almost instantly the Calm Lands experienced an eruption of light equivalent to the birth of a star. Seymour threw his arm up over his eyes to shield them from the freakishly strong light, but to little avail. The barrier was huge—twenty feet in diameter and seemingly made of pure energy, it decimated the energy arrows even before they reached it and flashed like a supernova, piercing through Seymour's sleeves so even closed, his eyes were still wounded. Hurting though his eyes were, however, Seymour risked a peek over his sleeve and with almost closed eyes regarded the shadowy, barely visible shape behind the corona of light.  
  
Holding up his sword in a basic block, with one hand on the hilt and the other bracing the flat of the sword, Auron was still blocking, still with his eyes closed. He was completely unaware of what was going on in front of him. Seymour felt a powerful surge of anger.  
  
"With the force of his will, he's manipulating the pyreflies, like I am! But how could he make such a powerful shield with NO PRACTICE? It took me three days to develop those energy arrows, and HIM only three seconds to make that barrier! How? Why?"  
  
Just as swiftly and silently as it had appeared, the barrier vanished, leaving no trace that it had ever been there at all—except for the few glowing pyreflies that now drifted quietly about at Auron's back. Unlike the lazy twirling and drifting of the pyreflies, however, Seymour's mind was racing. This new turn of events didn't make any sense!  
  
"Sir Auron isn't even a magic user! There shouldn't be any reason why he should be able to create something like that barrier, let alone of that strength!"  
  
Seymour's quick mind raced to find out any common qualities between him and Auron that might explain Auron's ability to form such powerful shields.  
  
"The only one I can think of is that we're both unsent..."  
  
Ah. There it was.  
  
Seymour let a long hiss of frustration seep out from between his clenched teeth. So, that was it. He had NOT made the advances in pyrefly manipulation because he was a great sorcerer. No—he's only been able to do it because he was an unsent. That was the one and only reason why Auron could command the pyreflies as well as he could.  
  
"But," Said a wicked voice in the back of Seymour's mind, "For how long?"  
  
Seymour smiled. It looked like he had another set of tests to run.  
  
= = = = =  
  
Author's note:  
  
It was weird. The chapter was weird, I know. Weird and short. Help me improve it, please!  
  
= =  
  
I was playing ff7, the part where you get to kill Hojo, and I guess that was where all this stuff about Seymour running 'tests' came from. But, then again, I needed something for the sucker to do in between the Farplane fracas and now. Making nasty new toys seemed his thing.  
  
Thanks to Tillek who e-mailed me and was my beta for this chapter. BTW, if anybody wants to e-mail me, I can actually receive things now. Just make sure to include the title of one of my stories in the header—otherwise I'm likely to delete the message. God, the crap we get in mailboxes these days...  
  
= = = = = 


	16. A Test of Power

Deliver Me  
  


* * *

  
This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.  
  


* * *

  
Summary: Science doesn't usually require brute force, but who said Seymour was a scientist?  
  
= = = = = Calm Lands = = = = =  
  
Harried by Seymour's newest, deadliest set of attacks, Auron was hard- pressed to keep himself from being speared or gored or stabbed through the head by one of the many energy missiles that Seymour was almost effortlessly throwing his way. The elder guardian didn't exactly know what had allowed him to survive the attack the first time, but he wasn't about to try his luck and see if it kicked in again.  
  
Duck, dodge, roll, jump—if it weren't for the fact that Auron's body was tireless, he would have been on the ground long ago, passed out from the sheer physical effort required to move even half as fast as he was now. Luckily, he was an unsent, and the only exhaustion he had to deal with was that of his mind.  
  
And even that was fading. Somehow, in the fast and deadly dance that was Auron's present battle, he was calming down. This wasn't like a group melee, in which one had to be so careful of one's surroundings and party members—not a battle in which one could not even unleash the most powerful of one's attacks without everyone else being some fifty feet away. No, this one-on-one, this duel, more than anything it was a...  
  
...a training exercise...  
  
The infuriated expression on Seymour's face told Auron that the young half-Guado was not at all pleased as his failure to strike him. In response to his ire, pyreflies at Seymour's back flared powerfully to blast off another round of blinding lights. This time, Auron knew he could not block—he was in the awkward position halfway between a jump and a standing stop, and he could not make himself move fast enough to get out of the way.  
  
Automatically Auron swung his sword up to block the attack, this time with his eyes open—and he flinched as his blinding white barrier snapped back to life. Luckily his tinted glasses saved him, shading his gaze enough so he did not have to close his eyes, like Seymour did. But shaded though it was, the shock of the illumination was enough to momentarily jar Auron out of his cold battle state. Mutely he stared at the white barrier, slightly gray though his shades.  
  
"How did THAT happen?"  
  
In the split second when his barrier faded away and Seymour was readying another round of missiles, Auron saw what had gone on. Glimmering white sparks with rainbow tails—they swirled in the places where the energy arrows would have struck his sword, and slipped away behind his back. Auron glanced over his shoulder to see the cloud of glimmering sparks behind him.  
  
"Pyreflies. They're doing it. They're making a barrier."  
  
And it was as simple as wanting it to happen. How else could Auron have defended himself?  
  
He was jerked back to the present as white points of light signified Seymour was shooting more arrows at him—this time, instead of fleeing, Auron chose to block. The pyreflies around him surged—and once again, the blinding white light protected him.  
  
Being the warrior adept he was, it took no time at all for Auron to instantly see that the white light, while not blinding him, was definitely interfering with Seymour's sight.  
  
"An opening!"  
  
He waited until Seymour had recovered enough from the light to shoot at him again, and this time, while Seymour was shielding his eyes from the light, Auron sprinted at him. At the same time he took a drink of sake from his tokkuri.  
  
Skidding to a halt when he was only twenty feet away from Seymour, Auron spat the charmed liquor up and down the blade of his sword, making the Katana emit bands of light as he charged up his Banishing Blade attack. Then, in an impressive show of dexterity, Auron leaped back and swung his sword at the same time, sending four dark, miasmatic balls of blade and crimson light flying right into Seymour's unprotected body.  
  
The dark spheres of the Banishing Blade attack slammed into Seymour at different points, threatening to break his body apart with the force of their attack. One of them had brutally crashed into his stomach, killing the air in him and any voice he had to cry out his pain. Afire with agony and brimming with anger, Seymour clenched his hands and got ready to cut loose with his newest, and most devastating attack.  
  
Auron never saw what hit him. One instant he was free, clear of the arrows—the next, his body was spasming as seeming tens of thousands of shards of light pounded microscopic but agonizing holes through his chest and arms and legs. No barrier of light saved him this time—Auron later supposed it was because he hadn't seen the shots coming. It made sense, he thought absently as he stumbled back, for a moment in shock and not feeling the pain; in swordplay if you didn't see a move, you couldn't block it.  
  
"I'll have to be more careful." Auron thought, still absently, taking a deep breath to calm himself and steady his nerves. Big mistake.  
  
"Rngh!" Auron grunted in pain as his body seemed to explode with the thousands of little holes pounded through him and almost he dropped to his knees, dizzy from the sudden pain. Miraculously he managed to stay on his feet but Auron just couldn't ignore how his body was inexorably dying on him. Despite his strong force of will, he just couldn't stop his blood from bleeding out of the millions of holes in his body—couldn't stop his lungs from filling up with the same sanguine fluid—most definitely could not stop the sickening sense of lightheadedness and disorientation that his loss of blood was causing. Grimly he forced himself to stay upright, and think. Luckily none of the said shots had hit his head—that surely would have killed him—but the myriad of injuries were crippling together, and Auron wasn't sure he'd be able to dodge Seymour's attack if he chose to assault him again. He wasn't even sure he could move ten feet without dropping to the ground, bleeding and dead.  
  
The sight of Auron's wounded body seemed to spur Seymour on to crueler lengths, and the young half-Guado smiled sinisterly as he called on his energy hail a second time. Only the glow of pyreflies at Seymour's back alerted Auron to the attack—the elder guardian barely managed to get his sword up in time before the hail was on him, striking at him so fiercely that for a moment, the entire Calm Lands were illuminated in stark white light.  
  
Even so, many of the shots pierced through—Auron felt something in his left shin shatter and he went down with a stifled cry of pain, dropping to one knee despite his best intentions. When he tried to put weight on the leg swords of pain stabbed brutally through his already injured flesh. After experiencing a lifetime of bruises, Auron guessed that his shinbone had probably been shattered.  
  
"Damn it!" He thought furiously as he looked at Seymour, and saw the demented ex-maester grinning down at him with triumph written all over his cruel face. "He's going to finish me off!"  
  
Auron waited for the finishing blow—watched the pyreflies for the bright white glow that would spell his doom. And yet—nothing came. Auron realized with a chill that, like a sadistic housecat, Seymour probably preferred to play with his prey once it was disabled. He wasn't far wrong.  
  
Confident now that his opponent could do nothing to attack him, Seymour alighted on the ground and took slow, confident strides toward the injured man in front of him.  
  
"Despite the minor setbacks, it seems that my new experiment was quite successful. Don't you agree, Sir Auron?"  
  
Auron glared balefully at him but couldn't muster the strength to snap anything scathing in response.  
  
Seymour's tone was conversational, sickeningly casual, as if Auron was a colleague or a classmate with whom he was just discussing something interesting. "Of course, it's not the ONLY thing I have running." He stopped, pausing at a distance about fifteen feet from Auron, and put his hands behind his back. Leering at the injured guardian, he asked, "Would you like to see the others?"  
  
On the verge of losing his temper, Auron was about to shout something anatomically improbable as to what Seymour could do with his 'others' when he heard a clear, but unmistakable feminine voice.  
  
"Curaga!"  
  
Instantly Auron felt rejuvenated—with all his strength he leaped forward and swung his sword at Seymour in a wild but powerful arc. The half-Guado somehow managed to dodge by leaping into the air, but he staggered a little—down his chest was a long, jagged diagonal cut that bled freely down his robes, and dripped into the air.  
  
Seymour now far away, Auron risked a look over his shoulder. His one eye widened in shock and disbelief.  
  
"Yuna?!"  
  
= = = = =  
  
Author's note:  
  
I know it's a weird place, but I must hack it off here. Otherwise, this chapter will have too much, and maybe be too long. But this is a pretty short one, don't you think? Hmm...  
  
Out of curiosity, I'm writing a manga with my sister and was wondering if any of you'd be interested in reading it. It's not a fan- comic/doujinshi—it's an original, hence the word manga. I'm writing it and she's drawing it. So far it looks pretty good —but I'm warning you, it's a long-running thing, like X/1999, and if I get my way, it's gonna be almost as twisty as Xenogears. If you're interested reading such a thing, drop me a line. You know how.  
  
= = = = = 


	17. Evening the Odds

Deliver Me  
  


* * *

  
This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.  
  


* * *

  
Summary: The whole gang's here...much to Auron's dismay.  
  
= = = = = Calm Lands = = = = =  
  
Yuna gave Auron a quick little smile before wheeling about on her heel to cast Holy on Seymour. As the white beams of light pounded Seymour from above, Yuna whipped back around to talk to Auron.  
  
"I couldn't leave you the way you were."  
  
Auron stared at her, his mouth agape in his astonishment. "Yuna, I LEFT because of the way I was!"  
  
"Was? So you're better now?" Yuna asked hopefully.  
  
"No!" Auron shook his fist at her, thoroughly at the end of his line and actually feeling what seemed to be the first flames of anger against his summoner. "For the sake of Yevon, Yuna—!"  
  
At the corner of his eye he caught a few flashes of white light and swiftly he swung his Katana up to parry, automatically placing himself in front of Yuna. His shield flared to life, and in the space that it was there, Auron shouted over his shoulder. "I will speak to you about this later, young woman!"  
  
And then he was off, dashing to attack Seymour in his moment of weakness.  
  
Kimahri pressed one large, clawed hand to his forehead, murmuring softly to himself before taking a deep breath and blasting a fireball at Seymour's head. Seymour jumped away, but one long sleeve of his robe caught fire, and while he was trying to put it out Auron leaped as high as he could into the air, and managed to slash him across the arm. Blood spurted out of the wound in a crimson arc. Seymour let out a roar of pain and looked at Auron with hate blazing in his eyes.  
  
As Auron landed on his feet, he caught a glimpse of Yuna throwing her hands up to the heavens. It looked like the beginnings of a Holy spell...  
  
"Divine!" She shouted, and Auron had to run for cover as a column of blinding white light pierced through the clouds and slammed into Seymour in a blaze of ivory white. The ground rumbled as the beam struck earth—Yuna's guardians were thrown off their feet although Yuna miraculously managed to stay upright.  
  
With a cry of pain, Seymour fell heavily to the ground once the Divine spell was done, landing on his side and on the bloodied arm where Auron had slashed him. Forgetting that he was wounded for a moment, Seymour stared at Yuna in shock and tried to figure how in blazes she had managed to hit him with such a powerful spell, and one that wasn't in the conventional spellbooks...  
  
...and then he remembered how the dark woman, Lulu, had managed to do a Triplecast in the Farplane cavern...  
  
Seymour felt like smacking himself. "Of course!" He thought furiously. "Why didn't it occur to me that if the pyreflies of the Farplane could make ME stronger, they could also make others stronger as well...? Creating a new spell...Yuna is certainly a force to be reckoned with..."  
  
But then again, so was he.  
  
The pyreflies at his back screamed and blazed a brilliant white flame— Auron's head snapped up and his eyes widened in shock. Instinctively he brought his sword up to block—but to his horror, Seymour turned, and instead of the pyreflies heading toward Auron, they zoomed toward the unprotected Yuna.  
  
"No!" Auron threw his hands out as if trying to block the shots—too fast for him to rescue Yuna, not too fast for him to see, graphically, what would happen in his mind's eye. That slender, fragile body stabbed by a merciless hail of light—  
  
"I can't lose her!"  
  
"SHIELD!" Auron roared out of some wild impulse, and a translucent blue barrier flared to life in front of Yuna, flashing a brilliant cerulean glow as Seymour's pyreflies struck it. Yuna cried out in shock and fell onto her backside in surprise. Seymour whipped around, eyes wide and mouth agape. Auron blinked and looked at his sword.  
  
"Huh." He grunted as he looked critically at his sword, puzzled but not entirely displeased.  
  
"Flare!" Someone shouted from behind Auron's back, making him jump. He whipped around to locate the voice and was stunned speechless as he saw Wakka, Lulu, and even Rikku running up behind him, armed and ready for battle. Rikku was mixing up a potion in her hands, which looked extremely threatening. Auron vaguely hoped it wasn't for him.  
  
"You're all here...?" Auron was too stunned to muster any emotion into his voice.  
  
"Of course." Lulu said briskly. "Where else would we be?"  
  
"Far, far away." Auron replied, some of his old salt coming back. "Especially after what I did."  
  
"Let bygones be bygones, ya?" Wakka said in a rare moment of sage wisdom. "Rikku's forgiven you."  
  
The young Al Bhed nodded, but there was a slightly wary expression on her face that said otherwise. She herself said nothing, however, and simply chose to pitch the potion she was mixing up. Instantly protective barrier spells, Protect and Shell, sprang to life in front of Auron. Another thing sprang to life as well . . .  
  
"WAAAH!" Rikku shrieked and hurled herself off to the side as Seymour blasted a beam of light at her. Wakka retaliated for his young friend by pitching the World Champion into Seymour's face. The blades cut deeply into the half-Guado's tender skin, staining his pale face with vivid scarlet shine dangerously close to his eye. Seymour snarled ferally as the World Champion bounced back to Wakka, but before the blitzer could recover his ball and strike again, Seymour swung his arm in a wide arc and threw him off his feet in a blast of invisible power. Pyreflies screamed at Seymour's back as it became obvious he was going to attack in Wakka's moment of weakness.  
  
However, the ex-maester's plan was thwarted as Lulu hit him the very next second with a Triplecast of Flare, and in the slacktime Yuna cast Hastega on the entire party. Things were not going well for Seymour, as he realized when Yuna and her guardians split into two teams of three, surrounding him on both sides. He could see Kimahri hefting his Spirit Lance; on his other side, he saw Rikku dashing forward, the Godhand at the ready.  
  
With a grunt that was more pain than exertion, the young half-Guado threw himself into the air just before Rikku's armored glove slashed the place he had been seconds before. Rikku sprang back to her place; Seymour hovered menacingly over the group, fury glittering in his normally tranquil blue eyes. However, he said nothing, and silence stretched thickly over the group. The tension grew in spiky black cables, painful and taut.  
  
"I do not fancy these odds." Seymour thought grimly as he glanced from Yuna, Seymour, and Kimahri on one side to Rikku, Lulu, and Wakka on the other. "Six against one is not at all in my favor. Let us make them five against two . . ."  
  
Most unsettlingly, he smiled, and everyone in the group felt a chill of horror as he turned slowly towards Auron.  
  
= = = = =  
  
Author's note:  
  
Vacation is fun, but how regular your access to the Internet is is very dicey. Still, that's no excuse for such a long delay. Here's a few chapters to brighten your morning—afternoon—whenever you're reading this. Enjoy. As always, constructive criticism is welcome.  
  
= = = = = 


	18. A Tip of the Scales retooled

Deliver Me  
  


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This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.  
  


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Summary: Auron goes wild—literally.  
  


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Seymour flung his arms out in a grand gesture and everyone tensed, wary of a spell. The pyreflies at his back whirled madly in place, spinning until it looked as thought captive stars blazed at the half-Guado's back. A piercing whine filled the air; more than one person clapped their hands over their ears to block out the maddening sound. But despite all this, no attack came. Nothing happened at all.  
  
(What new devilry is this?) Auron thought warily, his eyes narrowed.  
  
The screaming pyreflies suddenly dashed around Seymour, drawing glittering trails of light in the air that surrounded him in concentric circles of white light wrought with magical symbols of the past. Auron stared at the circle—he had the nagging feeling that he had seen it before, a long time ago.  
  
(Zanarkand Dome...the diagram on the floor?)  
  
He stared at it a few minutes more—yes, it was the same diagram, only devoid of color and floating in the air around Seymour's waist like some weird tutu. Auron couldn't appreciate the strangeness, though—all of a sudden he was hit by the powerful vision of Jecht standing in the Dome diagram, only minutes before he had become a Final Aeon fayth. He shuddered, but something suddenly stopped him cold.  
  
(Could Seymour actually be trying to create an aeon? A Final Aeon?)  
  
He looked around in panic to see whom the dread diagram's counterpart had formed underneath, but there were no lines of glowing light on the ground beneath Yuna, Kimhari, or any of the others. Yuna looked at him—and then screamed. Auron looked down and saw the white lines pouring out from his feet, wiggling and shimmering as they settled into their places. Cold fear made his chest seize.  
  
(NO!)  
  
Panicked, he tried to run out of the diagram, but the thing perversely moved with him, arranging itself so he was always perfectly in the center of it. Auron tried to jump out of it—the diagram followed him even in the air and seemed to catch him as he hit ground again. With a surge of fear, all the more terrifying because he rarely suffered it, Auron realized that, if Seymour truly was trying to force him into a Final Aeon's shape, then  
  


* * *

  
(I will kill everyone around me. And I won't be able to stop myself, because I won't even be myself anymore.)  
  
The diagram suddenly shuddered, rippling from white to dark purple light. Shudders of fear rippled over Auron's skin involuntarily; the diagram had turned violet right before Jecht had become a Final Aeon. All too well he remembered his friend's cry of pain, the way it seemed to go on and on forever as his living physical body had been forcibly stripped from him and replaced instead with myriad pyreflies that seemed to scream along with him. Auron felt like screaming too, but somehow he could not find the voice for it.  
  
"Sir Auron!"  
  
Yuna's cry of despair made him turn toward her and he gasped as he saw her sprinting towards him, her staff clutched tightly in her hands.  
  
"Yuna, NO!" Lulu, shockingly fast in her long dress, dashed up to Yuna and grabbed her roughly the arm, her long purple nails digging into Yuna's arm.  
  
"I can't leave him like that!" Yuna cried, pointing at Auron.  
  
"That is a Great Working." Lulu hissed urgently. "It concentrates a massive amount of magical power in one small area—if you run into that thing, jump into it, come in contact with it, who knows what could happen to you!?"  
  
"What will happen to Sir Auron?" Yuna demanded, her voice angry and anguished at the same time.  
  
"I don't know!" Lulu snapped back. "But there is nothing we can do; we must wait until the working is over."  
  
"I don't believe that!" Yuna wrenched her arm away from Lulu's hand and sprang back before running toward the diagram again.  
  
"Yuna, NO!" Lulu lunged for her, but Yuna nimbly dodged and sprinted around the black mage, still running.  
  
"Yunie!" Rikku wailed.  
  
Yuna could feel the powerful waves of magic pulsing out from the diagram even ten feet away from it; it felt like vast waves of pressure shoving back at her, slowing her steps until she felt like she was moving in molasses. Yuna ducked her head down and ran even harder, pushing through.  
  
"Yuna, get back!" Auron shouted, his voice a powerful roar that Yuna had never, ever before even dared to question. But she ignored him; her boot touched the edge of the diagram and she screamed as lancets of pain shot into her bones, filling her flesh with fire. But in the diagram, there was no impediment of speed.  
  
"No!" She screamed and pushed herself in; pain shot up her other leg now, and Yuna ran with her tears streaming from her eyes.  
  
Seymour looked like he was going to have a heart attack. "You FOOL!" He roared, his eyes fearful and angry. "If you disrupt this working, then—"  
  
The diagram wavered as Yuna came near the center of it; shuddering, it moved over to center on her and Auron gasped in pain as the painful lines of the diagram slid underneath his feet. Yuna felt like her legs were going to crumble into a pile of hot cinders as the center of the diagram came toward her—but it paused halfway between her and Auron, indecisive between the two. Although they were both in pain, neither person moved.  
  
"No, no, no!" Seymour grabbed fistfuls of his short blue hair, absolutely furious. "This cannot be! This—this—"  
  
The center of the diagram suddenly exploded, showering pyreflies of every color and sound everywhere.  
  
"YUNA!" Wakka shouted in fear, his cry almost overshadowed by Seymour's roar of frustration. Yuna shrieked as the pyreflies zoomed toward her, throwing out her hands in a feeble attempt to stop them.  
  
(Don't touch me!)  
  
To her surprise, they actually stopped—and then reversed direction and made a beeline for Sir Auron. The guardian swung his sword up to parry, but this time his newfound barrier did nothing—although it flared when the pyreflies hit it, it offered no resistance to the glowing spirits, and Auron's cry of shock and fear was muffled by the pyreflies that had suddenly wrapped around him like a tight, varicolored cocoon. Seymour froze, staring at the shimmering, person-shaped lump.  
  
"Maybe it is still salvageable." He murmured thoughtfully.  
  
Yuna suddenly noticed the lack of pain underneath her feet; she looked down to see all the white lines of the diagram zooming towards Auron, reaching up off the ground to wrap around him like the tentacles of a Mandragora.  
  
"Auron!" She cried, running towards the white, person-shaped figure of light. A power shield repulsed her—Yuna was thrown onto her back as she ran headlong into a crackling forcefield of cerulean blue. Her entire body tingled with electricity—unable to get up and move, Yuna could only stare at the white form of light with tears streaming down her face.  
  
(Auron!)  
  
Slowly the white form began to dim, solidifying as it turned from an amorphous thing of light into a recognizable shape—Auron's shape. The elder guardian was standing stone still, his figure slack. His one eye was wide, glassy. There was a sickening expression of vacancy in his face.  
  
Limbs shaking, pain sparking in her tortured flesh, Yuna wobbled unsteadily into a sitting position. She tried to speak; a trembling hiss shuddered out from her lips. "S-ss-sss-ss..." She swallowed hard, the dryness of her mouth painful. Yuna tried again. "S...Sir A-Auron?"  
  
At the call of his name, Auron blinked. His chest rose as he took a breath. He looked at Yuna. In a voice frightening in its evenness, Auron clearly said, "Run."  
  
A wave of red rippled over his skin, staining his silvering hair scarlet and running down to cover his skin, which became smooth and shiny. The fiendish change seemed to galvanize Auron; his body stiffened, his mouth opening in a silent scream as fur, as bright as blood, lifted from his exposed flesh. Wakka yelled in shock, his cry drowned out by Rikku's shrill scream. Pleased at the reactions of horror he had elicited, Seymour regained some of his old swagger.  
  
"Interesting, isn't it?" Seymour commented smugly from his place in the air. "It's never the same twice, but with a person like Sir Auron, I expected nothing but spectacular results."  
  
Yuna was too shocked and horrified to hear anything Seymour said, because at that moment Auron's body suddenly deformed, warping into a strange and unrecognizable shape. His arms bulged and reshaped with new muscle, shredding his red robe instantly. His hands seemed to curl in on themselves, the white bones of his knuckles pushing through his skin and sharpening to ivory claws that gleamed wickedly red in the fading daylight. There was an audible clicking and groaning as his bones shifted, moved, grew or shrank, and it was obvious from Auron's drawn and wide-eyed expression that none of this was at all pleasant. He was frozen in place, a prisoner in his own body as it painfully changed.  
  
"Stop it! Make it stop!" Yuna shrilled, swinging her gaze frantically up to Seymour.  
  
His lips quirked in a cruel parody of a smile. "Why?"  
  
"You're hurting him!" Yuna cried lamely, knowing that her words were useless.  
  
Seymour's answer was even worse than she expected. "Do I care?"  
  
Auron's legs began to change shape, his thigh bones shoving up into his hips as the metacarpals of his feet elongated, giving his legs an extra, backward bending joint that was plainly visible even through the cloth of Auron's pants. Auron collapsed to the ground, his misshapen and malformed limbs unable to support him any longer. There was a loud CRACK—from what, Yuna did not know. Then she saw Auron's breastplate crack off, broken into two pieces from the sudden mass of his growing body, and from the eight long, whiplike red tentacles that had just exploded out from Auron's back. A spray of red blood wet the grass in an unholy rain. From his open mouth came a pained sort of choking sound and Yuna could see his fur-covered throat working furiously, trying either to breathe or to scream  
  


* * *

  
Yuna began to choke herself as tears welled up out of her eyes, spilling down her face. "Oh, Yevon, no..." She moaned, dropping to her knees. "Sir Auron, no—"  
  
The sound of her voice made Auron lift his head weakly from the ground. Yuna sobbed as she saw his face—somehow unchanged despite all his transformations—and all of the pain that only a look could communicate. Seeing her distress, he looked away but that only gave Yuna and the party a better view of his now changing face. The cheekbones shifted up, narrowing his eyes to slits. His face shifted outwards, pushing and molding as new muscles grew underneath his furred red skin, changing the shape of his face. As long, stiff whiskers exploded out of his cheeks, Auron gasped a final time. Then . . . he stopped breathing.  
  
"NO!" Yuna shrieked, lunging forward to reach the misshapen form that had once been her most trusted guardian. Almost brutally Kimahri shoved her back, swinging his golden Spirit Lance up as Auron twitched, then slowly pushed himself up onto his feet.  
  
"Fiend." Kimahri stated bluntly.  
  
The creature that had once been Auron shook off its short blood red fur, using the eight tentacles on its back to clean the last of Auron's blood off its back. It looked like a Ronso—but even the largest Ronso would have been dwarfed by this feline shape if it stood on its hind legs. The summoner party could not help but stare at the long claws of the red fiend, which flashed ivory as it restlessly flexed its plate-sized paws. Each claw was as long as a small knife, but the group had the feeling that they were much sharper than any man made blade, stronger even than Ronso steel. There was a blaze of light—to everyone's amazement, there was a brilliant red fire burning at the end of the red fiend's long, muscular tail, apparently natural because the monster did not seem to be in any pain. Black stripes, almost ritualistic in their regularity and placement, intensified the aura of dread and menace that the fiend seemed to pour out in waves. Around the fiend's red face, there was a short fringe of white fur, an ivory nimbus that accentuated the sharp white teeth in the creature's slightly open mouth and the small golden  
  


* * *

  
...eye. The red fiend turned to look at the group; Yuna wanted to cry when she saw that the beast's right eye was scarred shut with a sharp black line.  
  
(Sir Auron  
  


* * *

  
Whether anyone wanted to admit it or not, the red fiend was still undeniably Auron; the scar was the most obvious thing, but from months of fighting with and living with the man, everyone in Yuna's group could just tell from the way the beast looked at them—such a cool, critical gaze—that Auron was alive behind the fiend's golden eye.  
  
Calmly, the red fiend sat down on the ground and turned, regarding Kimahri coolly. The familiar gaze sent shivers down Kimahri's spine, making his short fur bush as he recalled a conversation of days scarce past.  
  
"Would you kill me if I lost control?"  
  
"Yes. Kimahri chop off Auron's head. Make sure Auron dead."  
  
Kimahri gritted his teeth and shook his head, almost breaking under the weight of his onus. With all his being he wanted—wished—that he'd never said those poisonous words. But  
  


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"For friend, Kimahri do anything."  
  


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Author's note:  
  
This is the third time I've done this chapter, and as some readers may guess, it's a gluing-together of the two previous drafts. While this chapter was basically cut and paste, I think it's the best one out of the three. Of course, if it really stinks that much, I'm hoping you guys will tell me  
  


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By the way, can anyone tell me what the letter K and B turn into in Al Bhed? The next chapter's not coming up until I get an answer  
  


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	19. Tipping More

Deliver Me 

This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.

Summary: Bad to worse.

"_Would you kill me if I lost control?"_

_"Yes. Kimahri chop off Auron's head. Make sure Auron dead. For friend, _

_Kimahri do anything."_

The young Ronso warrior let out a pained roar of frustration and despair as he leapt forward, Spirit Lance brandished high.

"Kimahri, no!" Yuna screamed.

The Auron-fiend tensed, and then sprang away, sprinting across the Calm Lands. Kimahri slowed, stopping. Trouble roiled in his chest. Was Auron still alive in there? Alive and...conscious?

Seymour dropped to the ground in the brief confusion, scowling. Pyreflies swirled in his hand to form his lattice-headed staff. Twirling it once, he lifted it high and then spun once, finishing his whirl to point his staff directly at the red aeon. "Come!" He snapped, and the Spirit Lance shredded air as the aeon bounded around Kimahri, loping towards Seymour. Seymour smiled evilly as the aeon placed itself protectively before him. The horror that swept over Yuna's party was palpable.

"Oh no..." Lulu whispered as she put two and two together.

"Yevon preserve us..." Wakka moaned softly.

Rikku was not so complaisant or understanding. She screamed, her green eyes blazing, "What did you do? What did you do to him, you secanypma vilgan?" She broke entirely into Al Bhed, her gestures and tone showing that she was not saying anything in the least bit polite.

Seymour smiled, cruelty twisting his mouth. "Lou-Fuu." He called, looking at the Auron-fiend. The red beast suddenly stiffened. A wave of foreboding swept over the party. "Her first." Seymour said, and pointed at Rikku.

From a cold stop, the aeon lunged forward, paws thundering over the ground. Its one eye blazed red, a low growl rising in its throat. Rikku froze, paralyzed by fear and shock.

Light flared out from Kimahri as he put a clawed hand to his head, concentrating. Breathing deeply, he filled his senses with the smell and feel of the jungle, feeling hot tropical air sweep over his fur. He tracked the red aeon as it sprinted across the plains...

BOOM! A blitz-sized seed erupted from his mouth like a cannonball and Lou-Fuu was knocked over as the Seed Cannon hit it squarely in the head. It rolled, turf flying as it scrabbled for purchase. But everyone knew the delay was not for long.

"We've got to figure out a way to kill Seymour!" Yuna called out, looking at the ex-maester. "If we get rid of him, maybe Sir Auron will go back to normal!"

"Yeah!" Rikku agreed enthusiastically. "Hit him!"

"Sounds good to me!" Wakka shouted and swung around to hurl the World Champion so hard that the air seemed to rip in two. Seymour, unprotected by Lou-Fuu, jerked as the World Champion banged squarely into his head. His staff flew out of his hand, skittering through the air as the World Champion bounced back to Wakka's hand. Lou-Fuu, getting to its feet, stumbled dazedly and shook its head. It looked around, its amber eye troubled, and then wrathful as it settled on Seymour. Its flame-tipped tail lashed angrily and it snarled angrily.

"It's working!" Lulu said excitedly, her cheeks flushing. "Seymour's not in control!"

Seymour, clutching his bloodied nose, saw the red aeon growling, tensing in preparation for a pounce. His blue eyes widened in shock.

"Get 'im, Auron!" Rikku whooped, dancing. The aeon growled in assent.

"Geddem, Dou-Fuu!" Seymour shouted, motioning wildly at the party. The Auron-fiend shuddered, and scarlet blazed into its eye.

"Damn it!" Wakka swore, dropping into a battle pose.

"We must attack." Lulu said grimly.

Rikku was horrified. "But it's Auron!" She protested, paddling her hands in distress. Either the motion or the sound was a mistake, because before anyone could move Rikku was down on the ground, the beast on top of her. One massive paw was on her chest, pinning her down—Rikku fought to breathe, pounding at the red aeon's head as it leaned, resting all its weight on her. Wakka yelled to draw the beast's focus.

"Get off her!" He bellowed, pitching the World Champion at it. The beast leaped away just before the razor-edged ball cleaved the air before it, but it dashed up in the very next instant, and Wakka blanched as he suddenly realized he was defenseless. The blitzball player threw his hands up over his head and neck just before the Lou-Fuu leaped and knocked him onto the ground, pinning him with both paws.

A lion's roar burst from Kimahri's throat as he dashed up, drawing the Venus Gospel back for the kill. The red aeon's eye flicked over to him. A flash of red was all anyone saw as almost lazily the red beast swung one paw up and sent Kimahri flying across the Calm Lands. The young Ronso hit the ground with a grunt of pain, his head striking the plains so hard that the THUMP was audible. With a groan, Kimahri passed out of consciousness. Lou-Fuu turned its attention back to Wakka, its red eye flashing.

"THUNDAGA!" Lulu shouted, and the aeon roared as magical bolts of lightning coursed through its body. It whipped around, its single eye burning with an unholy red light as it fixed its eye on Lulu. The black mage froze in fear.

Yuna's feet pounded the ground as she sprinted across the distance, her arms held out. "Sir Auron, no! Calm yourself!"

The red aeon twitched and the red light dimmed in its eye. Slowly, it turned to look at Yuna, who slowed at once. Fear gripped the summoner's heart, but she kept it tightly controlled. Frozen in fear, she stood as a Chocobo in the headlights, too frightened even to tremble.

The beast took a step toward her. Yuna almost jumped out of her skin, her entire body going subzero cold. The red aeon paused...

...and cast its gaze down toward the ground in an expression of guilt and sorrow that had become very familiar in the past few days.

(I _knew_ it!) Yuna exclaimed triumphantly inside her head. (He's still alive in there!)

(But can he get out?)

Yuna dropped gently to her knees, putting herself at eye level with the red aeon Auron had become. She held her hands out in a welcoming gesture, and hoped the aeon couldn't see how badly she shook.

"Sir Auron." She called softly. "Come back to us. Please."

It was a very risky gesture; at this level, the red aeon could easily tear out her throat, take off her head, or even disembowel her. Yuna felt a wash of shame for thinking that Auron—or rather, Lou-Fuu—might attack her, but it so much easier having faith in her guardian when he was in his natural form, and not that of a giant Ronso gone red and wild...

The fiend flexed its paws uneasily, flashing ivory talons that gleamed in the light. Yuna felt a thrill of fear, but the fiend didn't attack, and it didn't seem inclined to. It was shifting from its weight from side to side, still looking down at the ground.

"Ahh..." Seymour's breathy sigh at her back almost made Yuna jump out of her skin. "How fortunate you are, my lady, to have a guardian who is so...devoted...to you."

The red fiend jerked alarmingly. Yuna saw its one eye; a startling gold in contrast to Auron's russet brown; flick upwards to glance warily at Seymour. To her surprise, a low growl rumbled from its barrel chest, sounding for everything like a roll of thunder. Yuna shivered as a sudden chill of apprehension trembled over her. Seymour seemed unaware of the danger.

"Unfortunately, honor and duty mean little in this state." Seymour almost purred. "All he wants to do now is feed."

Yuna's instincts screamed for her to whirl around and keep her unprotected back away from Seymour, but somehow she had the feeling that if she broke eye contact with Sir Auron, what fragile hold she had on his humanity might shatter as well. So, still looking into the Auron-fiend's eye, Yuna softly replied, "You said that once before, and he hurt none of us."

"Instead he fled to the Calm Lands." Seymour quipped. "How brave of him."

The beast growled again and the air seemed to thicken palpably with an invisible tension, a dark feeling that came perilously close to hatred. Yuna could feel the unholy waves veritably pouring from the Auron-fiend's body. It would only be a matter of time before the beast attacked.

Suddenly Yuna realized her position; she stood in the path of the Auron-fiend, right between it and Seymour; if the beast chose to attack the half-Guado, she would be directly in its way.

_"Yevon preserve me..."_

Author's note:

Thanks so much, Ultra Sonic 007 and Princess Artemis, for the K & B! It's good stuff, very useful. And it just occurred to me that I haven't given you guys translations for what Rikku's been saying...

Rikku screamed, her green eyes blazing, "What did you do? What did you do to him, you miserable fucker?"

Sweet and proper, she ain't.

As usual, C&C are much appreciated! You know I take it to heart.


	20. The Scale Rights

Deliver Me  
  
= = = = =  
  
This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.  
  
= = = = =  
  
Summary: Things heat up...  
  
= = = = = Calm Lands = = = = =  
  
"Lou-Fuu!" Seymour commanded, and like a switch being flipped the red light snapped into the aeon's eye. Fear froze in Yuna's veins.  
  
"Auron!" She cried, and the red light dimmed. Confused, the aeon looked at her.  
  
Seymour glared at Yuna. "Lou-Fuu!" He snapped, and the aeon looked back at him.  
  
"Auron!" Yuna shouted her guardian's name and the aeon looked back at her. Something akin to bewilderment was in its gaze.  
  
"Obey me!" Seymour snarled, and stabbed his taloned hand at Yuna. "Lou-Fuu, kill her!"  
  
"No!" Rikku shrieked. Wakka, his eyes ablaze with fury, drew the World Champion. Lulu's hands crackled darkly with black magic. Although so recently used, Ronso Rage began to build up again in Kimahri's body. Seymour ignored the threats behind him.  
  
"Lou-Fuu!" He snarled, glaring powerfully at the aeon. It flinched underneath his gaze, the call of its name. "Kill Yuna! Kill her now! Lou- Fuu!"  
  
The aeon shifted its weight uncomfortably, a low growl of confusion rumbling in its chest. It sunk low to the ground and crept backwards, its one eye shut.  
  
"No!" Seymour lunged forward and grabbed the aeon by the scruff of its neck. "Lou-Fuu, you WILL obey me!"  
  
Dark lightnings erupted from Seymour's hand and Lou-Fuu stiffened in agony as the blue-purple sparks sank into its red hide. The whiplike tentacles on its back thrashed madly, as though in their dying throes. Digging its claws into the ground, the aeon struggled, trying to get away. Yuna looked up at Seymour in horror. Almost as appalling as the fact that it was Sir Auron he was torturing was the fact that it was his aeon he was hurting.  
  
(A summoner never, never hurts an aeon; they are your friends, your allies. Why is he hurting his aeon?)  
  
The answer was very clear, and not her own. (Seymour hurts him because Lou- Fuu does not do his bidding. There is no bond between them.) In a low tone, the voice added, (Truly, it's remarkable that Sir Auron is still an aeon. He should have broken apart a while ago...)  
  
Yuna recognized the cool feminine voice. (Yunalesca?) She gasped, her eyes widening.  
  
(Yes. I am here.) The Lady's voice was calm and collected, but somehow Yuna thought she sounded strained.  
  
(Where are you?) Yuna demanded, looking around. (I hear you, but I can't see you.) A chill of fear ran through her. (Will I have to fight you, too?)  
  
Yunalesca's chuckle was bitter. (No. Not directly.)  
  
(What do you mean?) Yuna asked.  
  
(Ask Sir Auron.) Yunalesca replied darkly, and Yuna looked at the Auron- aeon. It was struggling still, raking long furrows in the earth as it tried to drag itself away from Seymour. Like Auron, it made no noise in its suffering, instead lettings its motions communicate its pain.  
  
Sudden fury seized Yuna and she jumped to her feet, enraged. Without any regard for the consequences she grabbed Seymour's long blue hair and yanked with all her strength. The ex-maester yelped at the sudden, unexpected attack and stumbled backwards, letting go of the Auron-aeon. Lou-Fuu collapsed onto the ground, shivering.  
  
"Why you—" Seymour growled and whipped around, grabbing Yuna by the neck. She gagged, clutching at his hand as his fingers dug cruelly into her throat. Seymour dragged her close, staring into her eyes.  
  
"You have caused me..." He breathed. "No end of trouble. I should—"  
  
But he never said what he 'should', because he suddenly roared and dropped Yuna. While Seymour had been distracted, the Auron-aeon had inched forward and had closed its massive jaws around his leg, sinking cleaver-sized fangs deep into his flesh. Yuna fell onto the ground, gasping as her bruised throat heaved, trying to take in air. Through vision that was spinning with red spots, she saw the Auron-fiend chewing grimly on Seymour's leg.  
  
"Lou-Fuu!" Seymour screamed, dropping to the ground. "Lou-Fuu, release me! AHHH!" He shrieked as something cracked audibly in his leg. Cursing, Seymour seized Lou-Fuu's head and dark lightning exploded out of his hand. Yuna threw herself on Seymour and knocked him backwards, making him lose his grip a second time. Lou-Fuu, somewhat recovered, sprang back.  
  
(My, you're persistent." Yunalesca murmured. (Then again, that's why you win.)  
  
Seymour swung his other hand up to punch Yuna in the face, dark lightning crackling; she screamed as black lightning exploded from his fist to envelop her head in pure pain. Rusty knives ripped up the inside of her head, sending streams of liquid fire coursing through her veins. She fell over backwards, screaming and writhing.  
  
"Esuna!" Someone shouted from every far away.  
  
The pain cleared instantly, leaving behind sweet clarity. Yuna thanked Yevon that she had taught Rikku a little white magic.  
  
"Yuna, get back!" Lulu shouted, and Yuna turned to look as Lulu raised her arms. Yuna's eyes widened: a high magic spell! "I'm trying something new!" Lulu called grimly. "I'm not quite sure how strong it will be!"  
  
That meant 'get away as fast as you possibly can'. Yuna pushed herself to her feet and began running. Dizziness washed over her and she stumbled—the aftereffects of Seymour's spell, she supposed dazedly. Scarlet suddenly filled her vision as a warm, sleek thing rushed by her, furry ropes wrapping around her waist and arms to lift her onto the Auron-aeon's back as it sprinted away from Seymour, carrying Yuna. She looked down at the aeon with a mix of worry and fear.  
  
"Are you back with us?" She asked softly.  
  
The aeon did not reply.  
  
Meanwhile, Seymour was cursing loud enough to wake the dead, trying to shove himself onto his feet. His shattered leg was bleeding freely, bending at an odd angle as he tried to get up. Shaking, he pushed himself onto one leg.  
  
"Lulu!" Rikku shrilled, looking at the dark mage. "Hit him! Hit him now!"  
  
Lulu nodded grimly. "Doomsday!" She called, and swung her arms down, spinning once so her dress of belts flared. There was a moment of silence.  
  
Then the entire sky blackened, rumbling with sinister thunder. The earth turned dark and heaved upwards, cracking to reveal a burning mantle. Seymour was hurled into the air on a platform of magma and was caught betwixt and between as, at the same time, lightning the color of hellfire blasted out of the sky, and fire as white-hot as the distant stars roared out of the earth. The cacophonous sound of the celestial forces meeting in midair was indescribable; one moment, everyone was standing. The next—  
  
A tremendous shockwave of pressure blasted the party off their feet and the guardians went flying. Automatically Rikku twisted in the air and she landed on her feet, stumbling only a little. Things were curiously silent: sudden fear seized the young Al Bhed and she gasped in terror.  
  
(Ur so Kut, E's vnaygehk tayv! E lyh'd hyan y drehk!)  
  
She clapped her hands against her ears, trying to will sound to return to them. Gradually, she could hear things—little things. She heard the low rumbles of the Doomsday spell fading, and she heard Wakka curse.  
  
"Ow...damn it." He swore. She looked around and saw him sit up, rubbing his head. "That wasn't even directed at me, and that still hurt!" Rikku grinned.  
  
A distance away from the rest of the party, Yuna and the Auron-aeon watched as the sparking miasma of light that the Doomsday spell had created dissipated. The air cleared—and there was nothing there. Seymour was gone, the only trace of him being a few eerie pyreflies which wailed softly in the air. Yuna sighed deeply in relief, sliding off the aeon's back. "Thank goodness."  
  
Multicolored lights swept around her in an iridescent haze, bright points of light drifting past her. The soft wailing of pyreflies made Yuna turn to see them peel off the red aeon's hide, taking form and substance along with it. She gasped in panic.  
  
"Oh no!" Yuna threw her arms around the aeon's thick neck, trying vainly to keep it from disappearing. The sound of rushing wing swirled in her ears as the aeon's hide shimmered, the telltale sign of an aeon's defeat. She shut her eyes, trying to block out the sight—maybe if she didn't see it, it wouldn't happen, she thought wildly.  
  
Solid matter gave way to air underneath her and Yuna gasped as her arms suddenly grasped air.  
  
"No!" She whispered, and she opened her eyes. The aeon had disappeared...  
  
To be replaced by Auron. He was sitting before her, very close to her, so close that Yuna could see the many lines in his face and the multihued shades of brown in his eye. They were close enough to kiss. Yuna blushed brilliantly, looking down into her lap. What an inappropriate thought! She couldn't believe it had crossed her mind...  
  
Auron leaned forward and Yuna had to stifle a scream. Surely he wasn't thinking of—!  
  
He pitched forward, his head thumping into her shoulder. His weight nearly knocked her onto the ground, but Yuna threw one hand behind her, supporting herself. Auron's head slid from her shoulder into her breasts, and Yuna couldn't help but blush a second time.  
  
"Umm...Sir Auron?" She called him hesitantly. "Sir...? Could you move...?"  
  
He didn't respond. Yuna realized he was unconscious. A wave of relief flooded her.  
  
"My, my..." Rikku said, sounding amused. "You'd think he'd be a little less obvious..."  
  
"Oh!" Yuna's blush returned with reinforcements as she spun around to see her guardians looking down at her, mixed reactions on their faces. Lulu was shaking her head, one hand pressed over her face. Wakka was visibly suppressing a shudder. Kimahri pointedly looked in another direction. Rikku was grinning.  
  
"Don't just stand there!" Yuna cried, her face burning with embarrassment as Rikku snickered. "Help get him off me!"  
  
= = = = =  
  
Author's note:  
  
New chapter. Hoo hah.  
  
I'm tired of writing fighting stuff, dramatic stuff. The next chapter will probably be silliness.  
  
Oh, nearly forgot translations.  
  
Rikku: "Ur so Kut, E's vnaybehk tayv! E lyh'd hyan y drehk!" ( "Oh my God, I'm freaking deaf!"  
  
Hee hee hee. I love writing Rikku. I can make her use colloquialisms.  
  
= = = = = 


	21. From Point A to Point B

Deliver Me  
  
= = = = =  
  
This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.  
  
= = = = =  
  
Summary: Poor Wakka...  
  
= = = = = Calm Lands = = = = =  
  
"Why can't we just cover him with a blanket?" Wakka complained. "It's a lot easier..."  
  
Lulu turned around, regarding him frostily. "Shame on you, Wakka!" She said severely, arms akimbo. "If it were you being carried, Auron would get you to a decent bed!"  
  
Auron's opinion on the subject, however, was purely speculation. He was lying on Wakka's back, unconscious, as the redheaded blitzer trudged across the Calm Lands, the rest of the summoner party flanking him. After two Curagas, a Full-Cure, and two phoenix downs, Auron had not waken up, although his deep, steady breathing assured everyone that he was still alive—or as alive as he was going to get. In any case, Yuna had declared him in need of a good long rest—which meant a good, soft bed—which meant traveling to the Al Bhed outpost.  
  
Wakka hopped, trying to adjust Auron's weight on his back. "He's heavy..." Wakka whined. He was carrying Auron because the party, being made up caring, nurturing women, had decided that sleeping on the ground was not the best thing for the elder guardian to do in order to recover his health. The party, also by virtue of being female, had decided that Wakka, being a man, should carry Auron.  
  
"What do you expect?" Lulu asked. "Sir Auron's probably all muscle."  
  
Wakka groaned and looked at Rikku. "How far until Rin's place?"  
  
Rikku turned around, squinting off into the horizon. "Uh...half a mile?" She suggested. "Maybe?" She grinned apologetically. "Hee hee."  
  
Wakka looked up at Kimahri, who was regarding him with what seemed to be amusement. "You want to take him?" Wakka asked plaintively. Kimahri shook his head.  
  
"Kimahri carried him for the last mile." Yuna pointed out. Kindly she added, "Just hold on, Wakka. It's not that off."  
  
Without warning Auron slid off Wakka's back and nearly fell onto the ground. Kimahri leaped forward and caught him under the arms. Auron hung between the two of them as though he were a drunkard being carried out of a bar. The ceramic sake jug at his side did not help the picture. Rikku snickered and even stoic Lulu had to cover a small smile.  
  
A few minutes later, it was clear that the new method of carrying Auron was not working. Wakka and Kimahri walked at different paces, causing a lot of jerking to the guardian's limp body, and more than once they nearly dropped him. At last the two set Auron down on the grass and the party sat down to think of a better way to move him.  
  
"I wish we had a chocobo." Wakka grumbled, cupping his cheek in one hand.  
  
"Do you want to go catch one?" Lulu asked in sardonic tones, looking at him.  
  
Wakka scowled briefly, but said nothing. Instead he sighed, and rubbed his shoulder.  
  
Rikku spoke up. "Maybe..." She scratched her chin. "We can make a sled?"  
  
"And drag it?" Yuna inquired.  
  
Rikku grinned. "Or stick grenades underneath it. Rocket propulsion, you know?"  
  
Nobody knew. "Sticking grenades under Sir Auron doesn't sound too good, ya?" Wakka said, rubbing the back of his head.  
  
"Well, it'd make the work easier." Rikku defended.  
  
"Why don't we just drag it?" Yuna wondered.  
  
"Aren't we all overlooking something?" Lulu pointed out. As everyone turned to look at her, she said, "The sled—what would we make it out of?"  
  
"Spears." Rikku said brightly.  
  
Kimahri's eyes narrowed. "Spears no make good sled." He said bluntly. "Many blades, cut by accident."  
  
"Oh yeah..." Rikku said, grinning sheepishly. "Forgot about that."  
  
"Maybe we can, like, roll him on blitzballs." Wakka volunteered. Lulu eyed the World Champion and Wakka, seeing her look, shook his head. "I mean the normal ones! Like the Official Ball, you know?"  
  
Yuna tilted her head thoughtfully. "It could work..."  
  
"But wait!" Rikku paddled the air. "Do we just put him on the balls and roll him?"  
  
Everyone looked at Sir Auron, who was lying in the center of their powwow, still unconscious. Rikku tilted her head until she was almost looking at him upside-down.  
  
"Where'd we put 'em?" She wondered. "Under his knees?"  
  
"His neck?" Wakka offered.  
  
Lulu sighed and shook her head. "Maybe blitzballs wasn't such a good idea..."  
  
Yuna put forth a suggestion. "Everyone—what if we combined the platform and the blitzballs?"  
  
"Huh?" Wakka frowned, scratching his head.  
  
Kimahri grunted. "Cart."  
  
Yuna nodded, smiling. "Right." She said. She looked at Lulu. "Umm...we may need part of your dress for this..." She pointed at Lulu's skirt of belts. Lulu blinked in surprise and looked down at her knees.  
  
"How many?" She asked, looking back at Yuna.  
  
"I don't know." Yuna admitted, looking down at the ground. "I would think a lot..."  
  
"What do you need the belts for, Yuna?" Wakka asked, tilting his head.  
  
Yuna outlined her plan. "We could use some of my extra staves and bind them together to make a stretcher—and then we could put blitzballs underneath it and roll the platform that way."  
  
"Heey, I get it!" Rikku exclaimed, jumping to her feet. She gave her cousin a sunny thumbs-up. "Sounds good to me!"  
  
"Let's give it a shot." Wakka said, thumping the ground. He looked at Lulu. "Lu, you be willing to spare some belts?"  
  
Lulu was on her feet, already dissembling her skirt. "As long as it's for a good cause." She said, smiling a little.  
  
The many belts of Lulu's skirt were much longer than they first appeared; aside from the small section seen in the front, they stretched all the way around the inside of the dress, adding some fullness and weight to the dark fabric. Rikku whistled as Lulu pulled out three slim black belts, all about five feet long.  
  
"What do you do with all these things, Lulu?" Rikku asked as Lulu handed them to her and Yuna. Yuna was kneeling on the ground, arranging her staves side by side. "Are they, like, trophies of all the men you've pantsed?"  
  
Lulu blushed. "Wha..."  
  
Wakka scowled. "Hey, what you mean, 'pantsed'?"  
  
"You know, 'pantsed'!" Rikku said, rolling her eyes. She handed a belt to Yuna, who set to weaving it in and out of the staves. "Go up behind a guy and whip off his belt—so his pants fall down, you know?"  
  
Lulu covered her face while Wakka burst out laughing. "Ohh! That's what you meant!"  
  
Rikku scowled. "What did you think I meant?" She handed another belt to Yuna, who began to weave the next section.  
  
Now it was Wakka's turn to blush. "Uh...uh, um..."  
  
"Let's drop this." Lulu murmured, looking down at the ground. She looked at Yuna. "Do you need any more belts?"  
  
"Just a couple more." Yuna said, looking up at her. "I need to figure out how to attach the blitzballs onto this..."  
  
"Here, let me help." Wakka said, walking over to her. He squatted down by the platform. "Huhhh..." He hummed thoughtfully.  
  
Rikku poked him in the back. "Hey, Wakka!" She said irritably. "What did you think I meant?"  
  
Wakka ducked his head, pretending to concentrate on the task at hand. "Nuthin!" He took a spare blitzball from the storage space and put it experimentally on top of the platform. Yuna tied it loosely in place and tried to roll it with her hand. It moved easily. Wakka's face brightened. "Hey, it works!"  
  
"Yay!" Yuna clapped her hands excitedly, smiling. Lulu walked over, a few more belts in hand.  
  
"Here you go, Yuna." Lulu said. She looked at the ball and the staves. "Well, that's interesting."  
  
Kimahri, who up until now had been watching for fiends, turned to see what was going on. He blinked. "Legs." He said.  
  
"What?" Rikku frowned. Everyone looked at him.  
  
Kimahri pointed at Lulu. "Lulu has legs."  
  
Everyone looked at Lulu. Now that a fair number of her belts were gone, her finely toned legs—encased in their black stockings—were clearly visible. Lulu blushed and covered the hole in her skirt with her flowing sleeves.  
  
"You didn't think she had legs before?" Rikku asked Kimahri blankly, turning to look at him.  
  
"Long skirt. Wasn't sure."  
  
Yuna, who was tying on another blitzball, looked up at Kimahri. "I have a long skirt, and you always knew I had legs." She pointed out.  
  
"Yuna's legs Kimahri sees." Kimahri explained. "Lulu's legs hidden."  
  
"Wakka, can I have a third blitzball?" Yuna asked. Wakka handed her one. "Thanks."  
  
Rikku was still looking at Kimahri. "Why wouldn't she have legs? Did you think she floated or something?"  
  
Kimahri shrugged. "Maybe Lulu flies." He said. "Kimahri never see Lulu jump."  
  
Rikku looked at Lulu, her green eyes lighting up. "Heey, that's right! I've never seen you jump either!"  
  
"Yeah, me neither!" Wakka said, looking at her. "The whole time we were on pilgrimage, you never so much as hopped!"  
  
"Lulu jumped." Yuna said, frowning. "Didn't she?"  
  
"Actually..." Lulu said slowly. "I don't jump. I levitate. That's how I got down those cables when we were storming the Highbridge."  
  
Rikku clapped her hands. "So you can fly?" She asked excitedly.  
  
"In a manner of speaking." Lulu said, nodding. "All black mages have the ability to levitate themselves or others..."  
  
"Others?" Yuna looked up from her tying. There was a strange look on her face. "You mean...you can levitate other things?"  
  
"Well, yes." Lulu nodded. "That's how the priests knew I had black magic potential. I levitated a book..."  
  
Yuna pointed slowly at Auron. "Can you levitate him?" She asked.  
  
"Certainly." Lulu said.  
  
A long silence fell over the group. It ended when Lulu slapped her forehead, muttering softly under her breath. Rikku snickered. Wakka wailed. "You mean I carried him this whole time for nothing!?"  
  
"Looks like." Kimahri said, a feline smile on his features.  
  
Wakka groaned, covering his face in both hands. Rikku giggled.  
  
"I guess I'll just levitate Sir Auron, then." Lulu said, red-faced at her mistake.  
  
"Oh, and I just finished this..." Yuna said disappointedly, sitting back on her heels and stroking the wheeled platform.  
  
"Well, let's put him on it anyway." Rikku said, pointing at the platform. "It'll be easier on Lulu."  
  
Wakka dropped his hands from his face. "Easier on Lulu?" He demanded. "What about me?"  
  
"Sorry, Wakka." Yuna said, smiling apologetically. She coughed delicately. "Umm...Wakka?"  
  
"What now?" He asked, sensing something bad.  
  
"Neither I nor Lulu nor Rikku have enough strength to lift Sir Auron..." Yuna said slowly. "So..."  
  
"Aw..." Wakka grumbled, getting to his feet. He looked at Kimahri, who was still smirking. "You're helping too." He said, pointing at the Ronso. Kimahri waved his hand at the red-haired blitzer and stepped forward to help.  
  
= = = = =  
  
Author's note:  
  
This chapter was just unbridled silliness. I needed a break from the drama.  
  
And I really do think Lulu flies. You never see her jump in the entire game. In Luca, she tenses in preparation for a leap, and then suddenly appears on the boat. During the airship scene in Bevelle (best scene EVER!!!) you see everyone else but Lulu skating down the cables. Kimahri's in bare feet, for god's sakes! Mysteriously, he throws sparks. But yeah, you never see Lulu jump. So I say she flies.  
  
Arinya: thanks for the constant reviews. It's nice having someone give me constant feedback, and thanks for the nice things you said about characters and such. And don't worry, this won't turn into a romance fic. It was never my vision to have an Auron/Yuna romance. Personally, I think it would be interesting, but very, very wrong.  
  
But I digress; thanks for the comments, as I said before, but there were a few things you said that made me raise my brows. First off, it's not a typo when Seymour says "Dou-Fuu!" Yes, I know it sounds like tofu, but his nose is broken. Seymour therefore makes funny noises. And I know Lou-Fuu sounds strange, but it's Chinese for "tiger", and it sounds cool to me. Also, about Divine and Doomsday—Lulu casts Doomsday, not Yuna. Hope that cleared up a little confusion!  
  
= = = = = 


	22. Rin Doesn't Say

Normally, I don't write before a chapter starts, but I have to say thanks to Ultra Sonic 007 again—you're right, Kimahri is carrying Lulu. I smack my forehead in chagrin at my oversight. My precise words at reading your review: "Doh!" Thanks, once again.  
  
And now, the new chapter. Yay, an even hundred on reviews!  
  
Deliver Me  
  
= = = = =  
  
This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.  
  
= = = = =  
  
Summary: Rin knows...stuff.  
  
= = = = = Calm Lands = = = = =  
  
The big man himself was at the outpost when the party arrived, and for a long moment, Rin said nothing as he regarded Sir Auron, lying on a crude platform on summoner staves, black belts, and blitzballs, two of which were obviously Firestrike weapons. Lulu was slightly red in the face, as was Wakka, and Rikku couldn't stop gigling. Yuna and Kimahri looked at Rin somewhat expectantly.  
  
"I shan't ask." Was all Rin said, and he looked at Yuna. "I take it you need a room for him?"  
  
"That would be nice." Yuna said, nodding.  
  
Rin nodded back. "There should be something in the back of the outpost." He looked down at Auron and his strange platform. "Ah...wheel him this way, please." He looked around. "DeGon!"  
  
"Oear?" A female Al Bhed, wearing a conservative jacket and goggles, popped up from behind the counter.  
  
"Y nuus vun Cin Auron." He directed, and DeGon nodded, walking out from behind the counter. Typical in the manner of the Al Bhed, she was wearing skintight boots that were strapped, garter-fashion, to the lapels of her coat. It bordered on scandalous. While Wakka blushed in embarrassment and averted his eyes, Rin was unfazed by the display and turned to the party. "A room will be ready in just a second." He said. He looked over the party. "Would any of you know, perchance, what happened about a mile to the northeast? The sky went very dark, and there seemed to be an earthquake."  
  
Lulu bowed apologetically. "That was my doing. I'm sorry."  
  
"No trouble at all." Rin said, bobbing his head. He didn't mind that fact that Lulu was bowing, though. It gave him a most excellent view. "A battle, then?" He inquired, being tactful not to look too long.  
  
"Yes." Yuna said, nodding.  
  
DeGon came back. "Tuha." She called, jerking a thumb over her shoulder. Rin nodded.  
  
"The room is ready." He said to the party. He glanced down at Auron, hesitating, and then asked, "If you do not mind me asking..."  
  
"Yes?" Yuna asked, tilting her head.  
  
"What happened to him this time?" Rin asked, looking at her.  
  
"Oh...umm..." Yuna looked at her guardians for aid, her expression troubled.  
  
Rikku stepped up. "What do you mean, this time?"  
  
"This is not the first time I've seen him in a bad state." Rin said, looking down at Auron. "Ten years ago, he suffered a most horrible wound, and was about to die." He shrugged. "He survived, though I'm not quite sure how." Rin did not miss the way the party shifted uncomfortably. (Interesting.) He thought.  
  
"In any case, I want to know what happened this time." Rin said, looking down at Auron. "If he is on the brink of death again," Once again the party shifted, and Rin pretended not to notice. "I would feel obligated to help him."  
  
"Oh, he's just...recovering!" Yuna said quickly, waving her hands. "He was hurt in battle, and he's, um, sleeping it off. He just needs to lie down in a good bed."  
  
"Ah." Rin nodded. He motioned toward the back. "That I can provide." He called over his shoulder. "DeGon?"  
  
"Oac?" DeGon inquired.  
  
"Srof dras de dra nuus." Rin told her. DeGon nodded.  
  
"Drec fyo." She said, motioning. "Follow her." Rikku translated. The group did so, and Rin followed behind him, eyeing the device Sir Auron was lying on. It was extremely odd-looking, but seemed to do its job.  
  
The room was spare, hosting four narrow cots and nothing else. Only one of these cots was supplied with a futon and blankets, obviously being intended for use. Rin motioned at DeGon and she moved to Auron's head, looping her arms underneath his. Rin picked up Auron's feet.  
  
"Uha, dfu, drnaa," Rin counted, and the two Al Bhed lifted Auron onto the cot, making it squeak under his weight. As DeGon drew the blanket over Auron's supine figure, Rin turned to the other guardians. "Please, make yourself comfortable. Do you want for any supplies?"  
  
Rikku spoke up. "Actually, I am kind of running low on grenades..."  
  
"And I'd like to catch a game." Wakka admitted, rubbing the back of his head.  
  
Rin smiled. "Those can be handled at the front desk. DeGon?" He glanced at his assistant, but she was already moving out to the front counter. She motioned at the party.  
  
"This way." She said, smiling, and Wakka stared.  
  
"She speaks Common?" He demanded. "Why didn't she do it before?"  
  
Rikku shrugged. "Al Bhed's just easier sometimes. Let's go." She skipped out of the room, followed by the rest of the party. Yuna hesitated, and turned to face Rin.  
  
"He'll be okay, won't he?" She asked in a small voice.  
  
Rin nodded. "Certainly. Sir Auron is very tough." Impulsively he added, "If he could live through what he had ten years ago, he will certainly live through what he has now."  
  
For some reason, Yuna did not look comforted, although she smiled and walked out of the room. Rin watched her go. Clearly something was afoot, and Rin had a vague suspicion that he knew what it was...  
  
Rin looked down at the sleeping man, his face becoming unreadable. Although he was at Auron's side, the Al Bhed merchant still stayed back about three feet from Auron's face, choosing to look at him from about where Auron's knees were. There was a definite wariness in his stance.  
  
"It's hard to believe you are here again, Sir Auron." Rin stated simply, looking at the man's face. "And in almost the same shape. It almost seems like history is repeating itself, no?" Auron stirred and Rin edged away from him. His voice remained calm as he added, "But let us hope it does not end the same way it did last time."  
  
Rin reached up to rub his left shoulder, his strong brown fingers digging into the unnatural slickness of scar tissue, which was perilously close to his neck. Calloused though his fingers were, Rin could still feel the vaguely crescent-shaped scars on his neck—crescent marks that felt like teeth.  
  
= = = = =  
  
Author's note:  
  
The winner of the mini-contest in the beginning finally makes an appearance! DeGonGin, I hope you don't mind what I made you—particularly if you don't want to be a scantily clad Al Bhed shopgirl. It just seemed a good place to slide an OC in.  
  
So, Rin knows more than he lets on! I've always liked Rin, although his pimping in FFX-2 frightened me something awful. It sent my sister to the floor with laughter, though. I love Rin's voice; it reminds of my Chinese relatives, who are, like, my favorite people in the world.  
  
Now for the translations...  
  
DeGon: "Oear?" ( "Yeah?" Rin: "Y nuus vun Cin Auron." ( "A room for Sir Auron." DeGon: "Tuha." ( "Done."  
"Oac?" ( "Yes?" Rin: "Crof dras de dra nuus." ( "Show them to the room." DeGon: Drec fyo." ( "This way." Rin: "Uha, dfu, drnaa," ( "One, two, three."  
  
Ta daa!  
  
= = = = = 


	23. Why Rin Doesn't Say

Deliver Me 

This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.

Summary: Flashback!

Calm Lands, ten years ago

Frod y vnaygehk sacc, as Rin had often heard Cid say. It was not often that Rin, a mild-mannered merchant who was calmly going to dominate all of Spira (commercially, at least), found a nearly dead man crawling down the snowy slopes of Mt. Gagazet, much less a nearly dead man he recognized. For the man had been none other than Sir Auron, dedicated guardian to High Summoner Braska and one of Rin's few Yevonite patrons.

The poor youth was in truly a sorry state, his right eye having been gouged out and his left arm nearly ripped off—both injuries, presumably, were from fiends, which had been attracted to the smell or feel of Auron's dying body and had decided to take chunks out of it while Auron had still been alive. Miraculously, the young man was STILL alive, although he was being eerily silent. Despite the truly sickening extent of his injuries, he had made no noise even when Rin had dragged his broken body off the ground, into his hovercraft, and then had set off across the Calm Lands with the large machina rattling and jolting abominably. Rin glanced over his shoulder, worried—Auron's lack of noise was very unnerving. Surely even the most stoic of men would have at least mewled by now.

His assistant had gone back to Home for supplies, so Rin had to haul Auron into the outpost by himself. It was no easy feat. Rin was not particularly strong, and Auron was almost comatose, giving the Al Bhed merchant nearly 200 pounds in muscle and flesh to drag—literally drag—over the grassy ground and into the outpost. It was a dubious blessing that Auron's body was slick with blood, and so slid a little easier over the dry earth. However, the thought of infection and gangrene sent cold shudders over Rin's spine. As soon as he dragged Auron into the nearest room, Rin dashed for healing potions and ethers, and after liberally applying both, fetched a towel and a basin of water to wash the dried blood and crusted dirt from Auron's wounds.

"Sorry," Rin whispered as he dabbed gently at Auron's wounds, finally eliciting a small whimper from the younger man. The towel was soon dark maroon with blood and dirt, and the basin's water was a cloudy red. Rin had had no idea so much blood was in the human body until now.

(Such a miracle he is not dead...)

Rin worked carefully, using only the lightest of touches to first soak, and then wipe away the dirt and blood covering Auron's frame. Even the smallest progress heartened him; as he worked off more and more of the crusted filth Rin could see clean, healed flesh under the blood and dirt, and even the worst injuries were nowhere near fatal. Rin made a mental note to tell Auron not to move too much, though: strenuous activity would no doubt kill him.

Rin froze as the steady rise and fall of Auron's chest stilled beneath his hand. Panicked, he pressed his fingers to the younger man's throat and felt for a pulse, although his fingers had started trembling.

(Please,) Rin prayed, (Please don't let him be dead...)

Rin cursed when his shaking fingertips felt nothing. Brushing his blonde hair out of the way, Rin pressed his head to Auron's chest and listened intently for a heartbeat: his ears, at least, couldn't shake and confuse his reading. Or maybe they could. Instead of hearing a heartbeat all Rin could hear was the ragged sound of his own breathing: he was well and truly frightened Sir Auron would die in his care.

Grm.

Rin gasped softly as he heard a strange ripple of sound that definitely came from inside Auron's chest, but was not a heartbeat. Maybe his stomach was growling? Or, Rin thought with a little giggle, some weird lifeform was getting ready to spring out and eat his head...?

(Oh, that would be just wonderful. Sir Auron turning into a fiend as I have my head so docilely on his chest and my throat within easy reach...)

Rin stuffed his knuckles into his mouth to stop himself from breaking into hysterical laughter and almost missed the strange noise again.

Grrrrm.

What _was_ that? Rin tried to figure it out before Auron's chest suddenly heaved, shocking the Al Bhed merchant into a sitting position. Rin dropped his knuckles from his mouth as Auron's one good eye suddenly opened, blank and unseeing...

...and glowing red.

Before Rin could voice a startled cry Auron was on him, freakishly strong fingers digging into Rin's shoulders as Auron dragged him down, the strange grrrrrrm noise boiling out from his clenched teeth like lavafall: it was a bestial growl, Rin realized, of hunger. Then a blinding pain that spangled his vision white ate Rin's eyes, and he gasped as Auron sank his teeth into his shoulder. For a moment he was stunned, too shocked even to breathe...

And then he was thrust away, practically flying through the air, as Auron suddenly gagged and shoved him off. Rin landed on his backside, the air rushing out of him, and he stared at Auron, stunned and afraid, as the younger man suddenly burst out crying.

"Nooooo..." He moaned, covering his face in his hands and rocking back and forth. "Nooooo...Oh, my lord, I'm sorryyyyy..."

Rin got cautiously to his feet as Auron, who he had always thought of as the steadiest, most dependable one in Lord Braska's group, broke down and began babbling tearful incoherencies. Torn between fright and concern, Rin voiced a hesitant, shaky, "Sir Auron?"

The reply he got was a strangled cry of agony as Auron curled into a ball, crying softly. Rin stepped quietly along the wall, his eyes riveted on the young guardian. Once he reached the doorway, Rin broke into a jog and ran for his room. The throbbing agony in his shoulder reminded him powerfully that he needed to heal his wound, but Rin grimly put off that particular task.

When he reached his room, Rin beelined for his bed, which was nothing more than a futon atop a raised platform. Lifting a corner of the thin mattress he removed a long, slim rifle that warmed to his hand as he brought it to light, and one-handed he flicked it open and checked the ammunition. The rifle clacked open easily, speaking of hours of care and usage...

(I do not want to be caught unawares if Sir Auron loses his mind again...)

Shaking out the explosive rounds, Rin dug under his mattress again to pull out a handful of tranquilizer bullets and sat down on his bed, holding the rifle between his knees as he popped six blue-tufted bullets into the unique rolling chamber and snapped it shut. A sudden wave of exhaustion washed over him and Rin nearly fainted, falling backwards onto his bed as blood loss threatened to overcome him. At the last moment Rin caught himself, and angrily he shook his head, wincing as a fresh stab of pain jolted him rudely into wakefulness. He looked at his wounded shoulder and winced again, this time at the damage Auron's teeth had caused.

(I must tend to that...)

It took Rin a while to get to his feet and stumble toward the first-aid kit he kept under his bed. Breaking the fragile bottle with one trembling hand, Rin sighed as cool relief poured over his shoulder, magically resealing his flesh. Getting to his feet, Rin was pleased to feel good, refreshed even. Flipping the gun off his shoulder, Rin caught the Death Penalty in both hands and headed to the sickroom, smiling grimly. He would not be caught unawares again...

But when he entered the room, Auron was gone. Rin stared in shock for a seconds, and then canvassed the room, but all that remained of the young guardian were a few bloody and torn up sheets. After searching the sickroom again and going over the entire outpost, Rin had no choice but to come to one conclusion...

Sir Auron had hared off.

(Well,) he thought as he put his gun back under his bed. (He probably could not have gotten far, or moved very fact. In fact, with his wounds, he probably will not even survive...)

Rin drifted slowly off into a deep and uneasy sleep.

Author's note:

I sincerely apologize for the very long wait. I am disgusted at myself, because this chapter should not have been as hard to write as it was, and in fact, everything after this awkward bit has been already planned out, even typed to a certain extent. However, I just couldn't go on with the story without putting this chapter in...I don't know why. My creative demons must have their way with me, I suppose.

In any case, I promise they'll start coming out faster now. Ah, the days when a week was a long pause...


	24. Yuna's Bitter Musings

Deliver Me 

This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.

Summary: A somewhat disturbing talk...

Rin's hand tightened briefly around the scar, sending a shot of pain zinging up and down his entire shoulder. He did not wince. But he did not say anything either, and after a long moment of gazing at Auron's prone form, Rin sighed heavily and shook his head, walking away. He had had a half-formed idea of threatening Auron should he attack him a second time, but what was the point of remonstrating an unconscious man? Twice-legendary guardian though Sir Auron might be, though, Rin was leery of having him in his outpost again, and he made a mental note to load his rifle with knockout rounds the first chance he got.

Rin walked out to the main area to see how Lady Yuna and her guardians were faring. Wakka, true to his word, was avidly watching a blitzball match on the sphere, and Rikku was counting out money for grenades. Lulu was repairing a small rip in one of her dolls, and Kimahri was standing like a furry blue statue while Yuna laced and relaced her fingers, the normal person's equivalent of relentless pacing. At Rin's entrance, Yuna looked up, and the look of anxiety in her eyes was almost too much for him to bear.

"Is Sir Auron all right?" Yuna asked worriedly, stepping toward Rin. Her guardians turned around, the same question in their eyes.

"He is sleeping," Rin replied, feeling a little uncomfortable under the pressure of their eyes.

"Do you know when he'll wake up?" Lulu asked, leaning her weight on one leg and grasping her arm lightly in one long-nailed hand.

Rin shook his head. "Unfortunately, I am no great doctor. All we can do in a situation like this is wait."

Yuna sighed gustily, disappointed. "I see." She said softly.

"I am sorry, Lady Yuna." Rin said with a little bow. "If you like, I can arrange for better accommodations. There is a branch of my agency in Bevelle..."

Yuna bit her lip. At the back of her mind, the fact that she was the Grand Maestress of Spira niggled annoyingly, whispering words like "responsibility" and "obligation". Yuna sighed again and smiled tiredly at Rin, clasping her hands behind her back.

"That would be nice, if it isn't too much trouble." She said politely. "I have to get back to Bevelle soon... My job and everything..."

"I understand." Rin said with another little bow. "I will make the arrangements immediately. In the mean time," he gestured at the guardians at large, saying, "Please, make yourselves comfortable. It will be a few hours before everything is ready." He walked off, disappearing into the canvas halls of the outpost.

Yuna sighed again and paced, swinging her arms back and forth in a futile attempt to settle down. Her guardians watched her anxiously.

Rikku, as usual, took it on herself to lighten the mood. "Cheer up, Yunie!" She chirped brightly, springing away from the table to pat her cousin lightly on the shoulder. "It's Auron! He'll definitely be okay."

"Yeah!" Wakka agreed, getting to his feet and nodding enthusiastically. "I mean, look at all he's gone though, ya? And he's still, uh...kicking!"

A cynical part of Yuna smirked at Wakka's deliberate omission of any words that might have to do with 'alive' or 'living'. The rest of her smiled and nodded.

"That's right." She agreed. "Nothing's...kept him down yet. He'll be fine."

(He _has_ to be fine. Sir Auron is our pillar, our rock... If he weren't around to keep us focused, what would happen to us?)

"I'm going to take a walk." Yuna said suddenly. Lulu nodded.

"Alright." The black mage said. "Do you want one of us to come along with you?"

"No, I'll be fine." Yuna demurred. "I'll just be around the outpost... I want a little fresh air."

She walked out of the tent, belatedly realizing she hadn't heard anyone assent, and paced in the worn grass outside. The early autumn sunlight was warm on her skin though a light breeze gusted over the Calm Lands. The sky was clear and blue with soft white clouds scudding along. All in all it did not match the restless sense of disquiet that boiled slowly in the pit of Yuna's chest.

(Seymour is back from the dead and Auron is lying in a possibly unending sleep... And it is often too true that bad things come in threes. I can't help but think something else will come... If I still believed in Yevon, I would pray for mercy in the coming days...)

Yuna did not pay much attention to where she was walking. Before she knew it, she had walked the entire circumference of the tent and was slowing to a stop in front of a part of the outpost wall that rustled a little differently than the rest of it: Yuna recognized a cleverly hidden door. Lightly pushing the canvas aside, she found herself in a long hall of the Al Bhed outpost. She stepped down the corridor and found an open room at her side. Yuna glanced in and gasped softly as she saw Auron lying still on a rough cot in the room. Glancing around furtively—she wasn't sure why she felt somehow criminal by checking in on him—Yuna stepped silently into the room and stood by Sir Auron's bed, gazing down at him. She noted absently that he breathed; it was probably more a reflexive action than a necessary one, since Auron was dead and didn't really need to breathe. Still, the soft rise and fall of his chest was soothing to her eyes, and Yuna knelt by the bed, resting her head on her arms.

"Hello." She whispered. "How do you feel?" She paused, not really expecting a response, but still disappointed when she didn't get one. Sighing, Yuna said, "I'm a little worried. Actually... I'm a lot worried. This is, ah..." She laughed a little bitterly. "This is a bit too active for the Eternal Calm for my liking. I'm starting to wonder if peace is just an illusion..."

Rise, fall. Breathe in, breathe out.

"It's mostly Seymour. Somehow he's broken out of the Farplane and shattered my sending—I guess you could say it hurt my self-esteem. Then again, I haven't exactly been feeling myself these past couple of weeks... My self-esteem has taken a lot of hits lately. I mean, I saved all of Spira from a thousand-year-old lie, but I couldn't save the boy who meant the most to me... Who still means the most to me."

Yuna turned her head and mused aloud. "Do you ever forget how much it hurts to lose someone you love? The pain is immense, but at the same time it's like you're disrespecting their memory...

"How did you ever get over losing my father and Sir Jecht to Sin? Did you ever? Are you really here for me, or for some debt to my father?

"I guess it really doesn't matter. You're here now..."

Yuna studied him for a moment before adding, "Though it's hard to say what capacity, exactly. I mean, here you are, lying in a bed, recovering from whatever it is Seymour tried to do to you. We're not sure when you'll recover, or even if you will... I don't like the idea of you laying in limbo here, a prisoner of your mind and your body... Under such circumstances, it might be kinder to send you..."

Suddenly she realized what she had just said and Yuna clapped her hands over her mouth, horrified.

"No!" She whispered. "I didn't mean that! I didn't! I don't want you to go... I just don't like seeing you helpless, that's all. Seeing you like this... It makes me feel lost."

One of his hands lay outside the blanket. Yuna took it in both of hers and squeezed it tight, bowing her head as though in prayer. Whispering, she breathed. "Please recover. Please. It would be too cruel for you to flicker in and out of our lives like this, like a guttering candle flame. Please burn bright again, Sir Auron...

"Please."

Author's note:

I sincerely apologize for yet another long wait. I had to hem and haw over this chapter a lot... In earlier drafts, Yuna sounded really, really sappy, and I tried to stay as much away from that as I could while at the same time addressing some of her (I think) realistic beliefs. It's hard to write a good monologue...

So as usual, read and review. Constructive criticisms are better than gold.


	25. Auron's Space

Deliver Me 

This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.

Summary: The empty Farplane...

Auron could hear Yuna talking, but he somehow could not understand her. He recognized the distant rumble of her words, but could not assign meaning to them. It was a perplexing and troubling thing, but somehow not as urgent as it should have been. Though Auron knew his concerns lay with the living, he could not escape the fact that he was dead.

Why else would he suddenly find himself in the Farplane?

("But this place was destroyed. Seymour...killed it when he broke away. This Farplane only exists in my mind.")

It was depressing to think that the flower-lined valley and endless ocean that housed all the souls of Spira was no more. Where, Auron mused, did all the people who had died since Seymour's escape go to when they were sent? Most likely they had become fiends, which was another depressing thought. A few strong-willed ones might have become unsents. But no matter what, Auron would remain alone. He was the only one in the space in his mind...

"Hello."

Auron turned sharply, stunned to hear a voice other than his own. The purple-clad ghost of Bahamut walked up behind him, his bare shins hidden in the soft wealth of flowers around his feet.

"It's nice." The boy said with his usual evasiveness, looking around the thought space. "Almost like home..."

"What are you doing here?" Auron asked, looking at the boy.

"After being a cohort in our plan to bring down Yevon, you didn't think we'd leave you that easily, did you?" The boy asked in a rare display of wryness.

Auron scoffed quietly. "I guess not."

"We're here to help you." The boy said, touching a hand to his chest. "Any way we can."

"Yuna sent you. I don't see how..."

The boy shook his head, cutting off Auron's objection. "We can never be called as aeons again as long as Yuna's will remains strong. We do, however, have an immortal supply of advice..."

Auron cracked a rue smile. "Does any of that pertain to enemies who just won't die?"

"Some." The boy said in all seriousness. "I think, though, you'd be more interested in how to reduce Seymour's power..."

"And how would that be done?"

The boy smiled and gestured at Auron, waving his hand in a "walk with me" motion. Despite being physically older, it did not occur to Auron to disobey, and he and the boy walked next to each other, strolling through a field of flowers.

"This is a very nice space." The boy said, seemingly off-topic; Auron, however, knew better than to trust in first impressions when it came to speaking with the fayth. "Everyone creates their own to a certain extent. Inside, they can hold anything. Some people hold fear, some people hold anger..." The boy glanced at Auron and said, "Your space is full of serenity. This is from where you draw strength..."

"The flowers?" Auron inquired dryly.

"The flowers are a metaphor for the strength that forever blooms within you. These walls..." The boy gestured around them. "A measure of how closely you guard your heart. The ocean is akin to the expansiveness of your soul..."

Auron pointed at the Farplane sky, which was ablaze with the colors of the evening sky except for a dark chasm at its center. There, the waters of the ocean drained into a dark, bottomless expanse. In the real Farplane and in life, Auron had never fancied water, so he had never gone to see where the darkness fell. Now, though, he had a feeling that it would be important.

"What's that?" Auron asked, looking at the boy.

"The balancing agent that lives in every human soul." The boy said softly. "Where there is light, there is always shadow. No human soul is so perfect that it does not cast one. A human soul is like a cavern, and the more complex the person, the harder it is to find the light or the depth of the darkness. People often don't realize how important it is to know both..."

"But how does this tell us to defeat Seymour?" Auron asked, sensing the fayth striking off topic. The boy, as if realizing his error, shook his head and looked up at Auron.

"A human soul has infinite possibilities." The fayth said dreamily. "It could hold all the world if its owner knew how to make it do so." Abruptly his voice sharpened and the fayth said, "Using the powerful, untrained souls of those in the Farplane, Seymour made himself a space not unlike this one—a false Farplane that siphoned everyone else into it. He draws on them now like a soul battery to fuel his augmented power..."

"How do I cut him off?"

"Break the false Farplane. The souls will then leave him and pour back into their rightful place."

"And he will be no more powerful than he was before."

The boy nodded, a smile spreading on his features. "Exactly."

"Will a sending break the false Farplane?" Auron asked.

The fayth shook his head. "Nothing so simple, I'm afraid. You'll need to break it from the inside..."

Auron's eye narrowed. "You're saying I should let myself be drawn into the false Farplane."

The fayth pointed at him and Auron looked down at his chest. A thin red filament he hadn't noticed before was poking out of his solar plexus, a discomfiting sight though it actually caused him no pain. When Auron looked at the thread, it shimmered with archaic runes.

"Seymour has already attached a lead to you." The fayth said, making Auron look at him sharply. "Right now the line is slack. Your strength keeps it that way. If you follow it, however, you will find yourself in the space of your enemy...Ah, I wouldn't do that." The fayth said quickly, and Auron's hand fell; he had been reaching for the thread. "It might be wise to tell your fellow guardians and your summoner what you're doing... There is a chance you might not be able to break the false Farplane and be stuck in there instead."

"Nothing's ever simple." Auron grumbled, tucking his arm into his sleeve.

"The world would be dull if everything was simple." The fayth said philosophically. Changing subject yet again, the boy tilted his head and inquired, "Shouldn't you be getting back?"

Auron lifted his head, listening. The subtle thunder of Yuna's voice above him had shifted, becoming somehow higher and more panicked. He still could not understand what she was saying.

"Yes." He said, looking back at the fayth. "I should. Thanks for the advice."

"It was our pleasure." The boy said, bowing. "Put it to good use."

"Thank you." Auron said, bobbing his head. As he turned to leave, he added over his shoulder, "I will."

Author's note:

I never actually conceived this chapter in my original idea for the story, but I needed some sort of bridging thing... Hence this snippet. Something longer and more substantial will come, I promise!


	26. Third Wheel

Deliver Me 

This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.

Summary: It's for a good cause...?

Auron woke up as soon as he opened his eyes. He did not feel tired or exhausted—part of the nice thing about being unsent was that one's immaterial body never suffered fatigue unless one thought it was supposed to. After his brief sojourn in his thought space, Auron felt completely rested and healed. He sat up, absently rubbing his chest, and looked around. The grass floor and the canvas walls immediately told Auron that he was in Rin's Calm Lands post, and the faintly sweet smell of woman lingered on his sheets. Someone (Auron suspected Yuna) had been sitting with him until recently.

Auron swung his legs out of bed and stood up, stretching. Various joints popped and creaked: the dull fracture in his neck that had ultimately killed him throbbed balefully, making him wince. Massaging his neck with one hand, he unsuccessfully hunted around the room for his coat and boots before wandering out into the hall and into the main outpost space. To his surprise, the sky he saw through the open front of the tent was dark; he had slept longer than he'd thought. A soft gasp made him turn and he blinked as Lulu stepped out of the shadows, the long folds of her dark nightgown flowing dreamily around her. Lulu's hair was down but still braided—it wasn't worth the time and effort it took to cornrow her hair to take it out every night for sleep. Like her dress, her dark nightgown was cut generously to display her ample cleavage, but it was the sight of Lulu's bare neck that suddenly and sharply rekindled the pangs of blood hunger in Auron's stomach. The unsent man only barely managed to keep himself from lunging at her and sinking his teeth into her flesh.

("That damn curse of Seymour's must still be in effect...) He realized sourly. (These cravings are far stronger than normal.")

"What are you doing up?" He asked gruffly to cover the hunger in his voice.

"I'm an insomniac." Lulu replied evenly. It was impossible to tell whether or not she was offended by his brusque voice. "What are you doing up?"

Auron didn't know the answer to that. "I guess I'm something of an insomniac too." He said finally. "How is everyone?"

"Fine." She said. "They went to sleep a couple hours ago."

"That's good. And...Yuna?"

"I said they were fine." Lulu said, frowning a little. "That includes Yuna."

"I know, I know." Auron said, closing his eye. "I apologize."

"Are _you_ fine?" Lulu asked pointedly, making Auron look at her. "You've been though a lot… Are you completely recovered from the Great Working that Seymour tried to do on you?""

Auron looked down at his chest. The memory of the red thread sticking out of his sternum seemed to shimmer before his eyes. "Yes." He lied, looking back at Lulu.

"And what about your blood hunger?" Lulu asked even more pointedly. Auron nearly cursed.

"It remains." He said shortly.

"Under control?" Lulu asked, her voice sharp, and again Auron could have cursed.

"For the most part." He grated. Did she enjoy picking him apart like this? Though he could admit his weaknesses, it galled him to do so under duress. "Why are you asking these questions, Lulu?"

"I think it's important to know." She said evenly. "An episode like the one on the Thunder Plains would be...unfortunate." (And possibly fatal,) was her unspoken comment. Before Auron could reply, she said softly, "I may have a solution."

"There is no solution to my problem," Auron said, "Except for one I will never be willing to accept."

"Your control is slipping," Lulu said, and a flare of anger so powerful that it almost blinded him exploded in Auron's mind. He barely stopped himself from lunging at her again, but for a different reason this time. "Clearly," Lulu spoke slowly, evenly, and Auron concentrated on her words to stop the sudden irrational urge to strangle her. "It's affecting your mind. It has started to distract you to the point where you can't think without your hunger running through your mind. Your one eye has a red tinge to it even now..."

Auron turned sharply, giving Lulu his blind eye. A chill went through him. Was it finally happening, was he finally becoming a fiend?

("Perhaps the magic Seymour tried to work on me has something to do with it. It, and the prior curse, has forced the transformation somehow...")

"The unsent need the blood of the living to keep functioning, do they not?" Lulu murmured, and the sudden tang of blood hit the air. Auron whipped around and gaped as he saw Lulu calmly lift a razor from one of her fingers, tucking the bloodied blade into her long-sleeved nightgown. Against her alabaster skin, the blood was almost too bright to look at, but Auron could not stop staring at it. Nor could he stop the sudden watering in his mouth or the harsh tightening in his stomach.

("Oh, no...") He realized dimly. ("It's already too late...")

"I'm offering this as a way to take the edge off your hunger." Lulu spoke so softly that Auron almost didn't hear her. "Just to the point where you can concentrate."

Auron swallowed hard and shook his head slowly, shutting his eye to the sight of blood. "It would only be feeding the fire, Lulu, not quenching it. Thank you, but...please, don't do that."

"I don't mind doing it for a good cause." She murmured.

"How can you cut yourself so easily?" Auron asked, his eye still closed. If he didn't look at the blood, it was a little easier not to think about it. He could do nothing about the smell, though. "The pain..."

"For a while, it was the only thing reminding me I was alive." Lulu said quietly, and Auron looked at her, startled.

"So the Gothic wear isn't just for show." He said finally.

Lulu sighed. "You have to understand... When Chappu died, I didn't feel anything. Rather, I felt nothing... A few cuts on my fingers and wrists from time to time let me remember that I was alive and not dead with Chappu. I've...gotten used to pain."

The brilliant red of her blood distracted him again. Unconsciously he licked his lips and edged forward, his hands twitching slightly. Lulu remained as still as a statue. She held her cut hand out to him with red brilliance of her blood dripping slowly down her finger.

"Lu?"

Auron and Lulu whipped around to see Wakka standing in the hallway. His hair was mussed from sleep and sticking up even more wildly than usual, but its disheveled appearance took nothing away from the concern and confusion in his dark blue eyes.

"What's going on?" He asked, stepping toward her. He didn't seem to notice Auron. "You're bleeding..."

"I cut myself." Lulu said simply and Auron recognized the subtle intelligence of her statement. Wakka would assume it had been an accident—only Auron and Lulu knew it had not been. "Sir Auron was about to...bind it for me."

"Or bite it for you?" Wakka asked sourly, and Auron cursed under his breath. It was hard sometimes to remember that Wakka was not completely stupid... "I heard what you were saying out here. How could you do that, Lu?"

"It's for a good cause." She muttered rebelliously and a dark red flush spread over her cheeks, accenting the garnet hue of her eyes. Fortunately, Lulu happened to be one of the rare women who actually looked beautiful when she was angry, particularly when she took deep, heaving breaths to calm down. "Go away, Wakka." She growled, and Auron had a sudden vision of the two of them when they were kids. He could vividly see a young Wakka standing there, hovering in anxiety as Lulu indulged in some pout...

("Wakka must have heard "go away" many times before now...")

"I'm not talking about that!" Wakka said hotly, and the force in his voice surprised them all. Striding over to Lulu, he took her wounded hand with surprising tenderness and pinched the small wound closed, never minding the blood that slipped over his fingers. "Lu, you never cut yourself cooking, did you?" He asked bitterly. "Ever? I can't believe I fell for it all those times...

"And _you!_" He snapped, rounding abruptly on Auron. "Why didn't you stop her? She's your teammate, ya? Your friend? Doesn't she mean more to you than this?"

"Leave him alone, Wakka, it's not his fault."

Wakka looked back at her, his eyes snapping. "You cut yourself open for his sake. You knifed a hole in your skin. And he didn't stop you. How is it not his fault, Lu?"

"Because it was _my_ decision." Lulu snapped, glaring up at him. "My blood. This has nothing to do with you, Wakka—"

"If it's got to do with you, it's got to do with me." He said stubbornly. "It's always been that way, Lu, always." His voice softened, almost becoming pleading, and he asked quietly, "How come you never talked to me? He was my brudda, Lu. I was grievin' too."

"You were too busy beating yourself up for something that wasn't your fault, and I couldn't listen to you curse the Al Bhed anymore." She murmured. "I needed a place to be alone..."

The longer Auron stood and listened to them, the more he felt distinctly like a third wheel. Stealthily he began to edge away.

"I woulda shut up if you asked me to."

"Why talk about this, Wakka? It's all in the past..."

"Don't try to change the subject." Wakka said in annoyance. "Why you always gotta feel like you gotta go these things alone, ya? I'm your friend. _We're_ your friends," he added, belatedly remembering Auron and nodding at him—apparently Wakka's ire was a short-lived thing. "And we care about you. If there's anything we can do—"

"Some darknesses have to be faced alone." Lulu replied and Auron caught himself nodding. There had always been a peculiar kinship between him and the black mage; her words only confirmed it. "What can you do that I can't?"

"I don't know about you, but I don't like hugging myself."

Unexpectedly Lulu laughed. Snorted, actually, was more like it. It was a surprisingly happy sound she tried immediately to stuff back into her throat, as if she were ashamed of doing anything as light as laughing. Wakka smiled.

"See, it's not so bad sharing, is it?" He asked, smiling. As he touched Lulu on the face, Auron recognized the sign of a kiss-in-waiting and decided it would be prudent to get away as soon as possible. Watching people kiss had always made him nauseous. As silently as a passing thought, he slipped out of the main tent just as Wakka and Lulu's shadows became one.

Author's note:

Another unexpected chapter. I did not intend to work a lot of Wakka/Lulu fluff into this story, but this rolled out so naturally that it felt wrong to kill it. It certainly flowed a lot smoother than the draft I had going before with Rikku cutting herself. I realized, first off, that it just didn't go with her character, and also I ended up with some really stupid lines... Here's a bit from the chapter that might have been.

"Lick my finger or I'll cut a vein, a really big one! Like my femoral!"

"Your...Do you even know where your femoral is?"

"It's the big one in my arm!"

"It's the big one in your LEG! Your upper inner thigh, to be precise."

"Well, then, it'll be even more embarrassing if you have to lick it from there, now wouldn't it?"

Do you see what I mean? And Wakka had this line...

"Hey, what else am I supposed to think when I hear someone yelling, "Lick it, lick it!" in the middle of the night?"

I am so glad I wrote this chapter instead...So glad.


	27. Lean On Me

Deliver Me 

This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.

Summary: Gazing at the darkness

The next day, when the transport Rin had ordered from Bevelle arrived, everyone was surprised to see Auron up and about. If anybody noticed that he wore his collar and dark shades slightly higher than normal, nobody commented on it. Yuna paid for their stay and the group took advantage of the hovercraft to catch a quick ride to Bevelle. For a while, Yuna thought wistfully, it was like nothing had changed. Wakka fretted when Rikku scrambled on top of the hover's giant fan and proudly declared she was going to sit there the whole way back; Auron yelled at her to come down before she broke her neck; Kimahri lifted Yuna into an actual seat and chuckled, his deep lion's-purr of a laugh rumbling like thunder, while Lulu smothered a giggle behind her sleeve.

("Yes,") Yuna thought sadly. ("It's almost like nothing has happened...")

If she hadn't been watching, she never would have noticed the peculiar, almost feline fluidity Auron now moved with, nor the unconscious way everyone held themselves just a little back from him. As usual, he sat next to Yuna, and when she glanced surreptitiously at him she thought she saw a hint of red in his eye; when he blinked, it disappeared, but the image remained in her memory. Things were almost the same...but not quite.

("Despite his best efforts, I think Sir Auron is losing his battle with humanity...")

The hover ride back to Bevelle was uneventful and unbelievably fast. What took nearly three days of walking took the hover a mere five hours to complete. Because Rin had specified a hover specially designed for injured people, the ride was smooth and especially well-guarded against fiend attacks; Rikku had eagerly pointed out the gun turrets that studded the outside of the hover like the spurs of an Adamantoise. A shield covered the machina to stop the winds that normally blew right into the carriage, and there were even small forms of entertainment sitting around. Lulu and Kimahri played a game of chess. Wakka flipped through a blitzball magazine, which was mostly useless because it was printed in Al Bhed—there were a lot of photographs, however, and Wakka cribbed what he could from those pictures. Rikku helped Yuna brush up on a few useful Al Bhed phrases, laughing at her cousin's sometimes disastrous mispronunciation, and Auron napped. Despite the easy ride, however, everyone was glad to get off the hover when it finally stopped outside Bevelle.

"Sorry we can't take you all the way in, High Summoner," the driver apologized. "But people still don't like us, you know? It's safer this way."

"That's quite all right." Yuna said, smiling. "A little walking would do us good after such a long ride."

The driver grinned and nodded his head. "Great. Well, see you around then, High Summoner..."

The driver was gracious enough to wait until they had walked away before turning on the hover and flying away. As per a call Yuna had placed from the outpost earlier, Shelinda met them in the door.

"Good afternoon, my lady." She said and bowed, polite as always. "How was your trip?"

"Interesting." Yuna said vaguely. "And things here?"

"Nice and calm, my lady. Lord Isaaru has a fine hand for administrative work." She hesitated before adding, "We were a little worried as to when you would come back..."

"Sorry for making you worry." Yuna apologized.

"It's all right, my lady, just as long as you're safe and sound." Shelinda said with a smile. For being only a few years older than Yuna herself, Shelinda had a remarkably maternal air. "Would you like anything to eat?"

"That sounds wonderful, Shelinda, thank you." Yuna said, smiling.

"I think I'll go to sleep," Auron said suddenly, making everyone look at him. "I'm...tired."

"Hey, no problem." Wakka said, patting him on the shoulder. "Gotta rest the old bones up, ya?"

Auron snorted but didn't really protest. Instead, he looked at Yuna and murmured, "I need to have a word with you."

"Sure." She said, nodding. She turned to Shelinda. "Um, if you'll excuse us...?"

Shelinda smiled and nodded. Looking at the other guardians, she said, "If you'll follow me, I'm sure I can get something arranged..." and led them off. Being in charge, Yuna mused, had changed shy, mousy Shelinda into a smooth courtier. Auron waved Yuna over to a secluded corner of the Highbridge and leaned against the wall, closing his eye. Yuna walked up to him, frowning.

"Are you really that tired?" She asked. "We could have stayed another day if—"

"Yuna, there may be a way to defeat Seymour permanently." He said suddenly, and Yuna stared at him.

"...how?" She asked finally. ("And how do you know it'll work?")

"The fayth told me a way," he said, as though answering her thoughts. "But it's risky... And I'll have to do it alone."

"No." Yuna said reflexively. Then she shook her head and sighed, taking a deep breath. "I mean...what's the way?"

Auron rubbed his chest. "Destroying Seymour from the inside out. He's made a false Farplane inside himself to trick the souls of the dead to him, and thus draw off their power."

"That explains his sudden increase in strength..."

"Yes. Now, ah, since he's tried to work something on me, there's a connection between us. If I go into that false Farplane and destroy it, then..."

"Seymour will lose power." Yuna finished, and Auron nodded. "I see why this has to be done alone, then. But...I have some questions."

Auron looked discomfited. Yuna had the feeling he had just been going to tell her and then go. "...What sort of questions?" He asked after a long pause.

"How do you plan on destroying the false Farplane?" She inquired. "I can't imagine it would be something you could do with a sword..."

Auron didn't reply. Yuna went on.

"What if you get stuck in there? It was hard enough to fight against you when you were Seymour's..." The word "aeon" stuck in her throat and she decided not to force it. "If, however, you get stuck _in_ him..."

"For once we don't have to wait for him to come to us." Auron growled sharply, startling her. "We can—I can take the fight to him and finish it. I don't like the idea of him floating around, just waiting to strike again... We were very lucky last time, Yuna. Hardly anyone bled."

"I know. But—"

"He has to be killed. Now."

Yuna blinked, staring at Auron. His voice had abruptly become deeper, more guttural, and the red tint in his eye was back again. That and his choice of words made him look...

("Fiendish.")

"I'm not going to risk you doing something that very well might take you away from us and add your power to Seymour's." Yuna said, trying her best to keep her voice firm. "Thank you for telling me about this plan, Sir Auron, but it's not going to go through."

"You're giving me orders?" Auron asked softly. Yuna stared at him, but for a different reason this time.

"I am your summoner." She said slowly. "You swore an oath to me."

Impossibly, it looked like Auron, the perfect guardian, was actually going to snap back at her. The red light shimmered unstably in his eye and she saw his hands flex—had his nails gotten longer? She suppressed the urge to step away and hoped Auron's sense of smell hadn't gotten sharp enough to detect fear.

"I did." He said finally, and his voice was its usual gruff baritone. "I remember."

"Good." Yuna said, nodding. She touched him on the shoulder, making him glance momentarily at her hand. "Let's go inside. Do you want something to—"

"I'm not hungry."

"Ah." Yuna looked down at the ground, feeling uncomfortable. Auron brushed by her in a gentle sweep of red. His steps were heavy and swift, and Yuna sensed that somehow, he wanted to get away from her. She spun around. "Sir Auron!"

He turned, glancing at her over his shoulder.

"I spoke to Lulu last night." She said, and he turned around completely. "Late last night." She hesitated, like taking a breath before jumping, and said slowly, "I think she has the right idea."

"I'm not drinking your blood." He said immediately, his eye narrowing. Yuna, however, did not miss the flash of red in his eye.

"And I won't force it on you." She said, clasping her hands behind her back. "But... Don't let pride stop you from doing what you must. Sometimes we have to do things we don't like... And even medicine tastes bad."

Auron snorted, shaking his head. "Blood is hardly medicine, Yuna."

"It could very well be for you." She said, shrugging. "One thing I can tell is that you resisting it isn't doing much...I mean," she said quickly. "You're, uh...changing. I can see it, you know."

Auron closed his eye. "...I see." He said quietly. "It's becoming obvious, then?"

Yuna walked forward and took his bare hand, pulling it out of his robe. She fingered his definitely longer, harder nails, which were curving into familiar ivory claws.

"I'd say so." She said quietly, not looking at him.

Auron clenched his hand, curling his deformed nails away from sight. Yuna, however, did not let go of his hand.

"I thought I could control this." He whispered. "I thought I could hide this darkness forever."

"Maybe it's time to face it." Yuna murmured, wrapping her hands around his. "Sir Auron..."

Auron did not say anything. He was not a demonstrative man and he rarely showed his feelings. Still, Yuna was surprised when he bowed his head and rested it on her shoulder, sighing deeply.

"You are so much like your father." He murmured.

"Thank you." She replied, and wrapped her arms around his neck. He sighed again and hugged her back. He was very heavy and Yuna had the impression he was leaning on her, but she didn't mind.

Even the strongest needed someone to lean on sometimes.

Author's note:

I swear up, down, left, and right there is no romance and will never be between these two. Tidus belongs with Yuna and Auron belongs with... The game specifies no canon pairing. But Yuna's heart belongs to Tidus alone and there it will remain.

Still, if anyone in turmoil could get a hug from a person on the FFX cast, I think Yuna would be a very strong choice. Even when she doesn't know what to do, she still has this sense of "everything will be all right" that is just so very comforting.

Hey, four chapters in a short space of time. I'm rockin'.


	28. Seymour's Past

Deliver Me 

This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.

Summary: What exactly does Seymour do in between battles...?

Baaj Temple was out of the way and little known, the perfect place for an unsent half-Guado to recover from his latest defeat and plot new ways to kill his enemies. There was an abundance of fiends to practice his new attacks on, whose pyreflies he could later absorb for power. After every defeat, Seymour always found himself reforming there. He wasn't sure why. There was no good reason why he thought of Baaj Temple as a safe place to be. There he had gained Anima at the cost of the only person who had ever really loved him.

("Mother traded her life for my power...")

Seymour walked down the rotten stone halls, the dank smell of the overgrown marble making him feel mildly ill, as it always had. The way he walked was softly lit by pyreflies, and their soft wails matched the disquiet he felt as he strode toward "Mother's chamber". It was hard to name exactly what he was feeling, though he was pretty sure some of it was filial guilt. He otherwise couldn't explain the bouquet of moonlilies he carried in his arms.

The complex door to the Chamber of the Fayth opened silently for him, admitting him passage into the place where his mother had followed Lady Yunalesca's instructions and given her will over to the darkness where all spirits lay; merging with one of them had resulted in the Anima fayth. Her fayth statue was no longer aglow and vivid with bright colors—Lady Yuna's sending had seen to that—but it was still something of a comfort to look at the carved effigy of his mother, though he could only see her back.

"Hello, Mother." He said softly, kneeling before her stone. He set the bouquet down before the cold statue and touched it gently, running his fingers over the clear crystal dome covering it. "I'm sorry I haven't visited in such a long time... I've been rather busy. There were...things I needed to get done."

It was annoying that fayth statues were created in such a way that one could never see the fayth's face. Seymour would have given anything to see his mother's gentle, loving face again. Instead, all he had was the sight of her stretched her hands heavenward, as though asking for guidance and protection.

"They're still not done yet." He said vaguely, brushing his hand over the stone. "I may not be able to visit again for a long time... Please forgive me."

("Please forgive me.")

Dimly he remembered speaking the same words when he had been but a child. While his mother had gently cleaned his cuts and scrapes (dealt by little Guado claws) and quoted Yevon scripture about forgiving others, he had balled his little hands into fists and whispered harshly.

("Please forgive me, Mother—because I can't forgive them.")

She had paused slightly and then stroked his hair. Back then, it hadn't yet stiffened into the thick wooden horns that Seymour had now trailing out of his head. It had still been soft then, like normal human hair, and it had been comforting to feel his mother petting it.

("Seymour, you have to. If you hate someone, it eats all of who you are. You won't have energy left for anything else...")

("They called me names, Mother. They said bad things about you and Father. They backed me into a corner and hit me and—")

She had hugged him, and though his still soft hair he had felt her tears.

("I am so sorry, Seymour. I'm so sorry...")

Shortly thereafter, she had packed up her things and her young son and started on the pilgrimage to Zanarkand. Never mind she was no summoner; never mind she had no combat skills. Seymour remembered the expression of quiet determination she had worn all the way to the holy city, the one tempered only by the love on her face. Even now, Seymour could never recall a moment when she had been angry or hateful; she had always forgiven their enemies and preferred to flee rather than fight. And always, always, she had tried to protect him.

("You gave up your life for me, Mother. Thank you...and I'm sorry. I tried for a while to forgive them, but it only weakened me... Lady Yuna and her guardians killed me because of that weakness. If only I had stated my true intentions and fought for them, I would not have lost...")

("If I had stated them and acted on them back then, you would still be alive. No one would have dared to cross me...")

("And Father would have respected me.")

When his mother had given herself to the fayth, Seymour had wandered around lost and alone in Baaj Temple for five days, living on nothing but water until his father had finally showed up. And then, rather than be glad that his son was still alive, Jyscal had raged and cursed at Seymour and blamed him for his mother's death. The awful cry that had torn out of Jyscal's throat when he had clutched his wife's cold body still seemed to echo faintly around the chamber. It rang in the air and inside Seymour's head, reverberating off the inside of his skull against it threatened to explode. Seymour rubbed his temples, growling softly under his breath.

"Shut up, Father. Shut up. I'm not listening to you anymore."

He repeated the words over and over again until Jyscal's scream of grief faded from his mind. Sighing heavily, Seymour rose to his feet and rubbed his arms against the chill of the chamber.

"Goodbye, Mother." He said quietly. "I'll see you soon. When my business is finished, I'll see you again."

He turned and left, his footsteps echoing hollowly down the hall. He did not see the two shades that formed slowly over his mother's stone.

"My boy..." The woman whispered, her hands over her face.

The child next to her touched her gently on the arm. "When the time comes, will you guide him? Will you take him to the place where the spirits lie?"

The woman dropped her hands. There would have been tears on her face if she could still cry. "You want me to help kill my only child."

"His existence is hopeless."

"Don't say that!" The woman cried passionately. "His birth...his life... It was made out of love, born from love! How could it..." She sighed heavily and shook her head, closing her eyes. "How could it go so terribly wrong?"

"You and Jyscal never meant to have children, did you?"

"No. And there was no way we were prepared to deal with the consequences of raising such a...unique boy." She pressed her hands over her face. "There were times when I thought it would have been better if he had never been born... He has grown up so full of pain that the only way I can help him now is to see him dead." She laughed bitterly. "Ah, I've been such a terrible mother."

"You had to deal with some terrible circumstances." The boy said sympathetically. "But not many mothers continue mothering past the grave. You're special that way."

"Special?" The woman mused. "No, I don't think so. I have a lot to answer for... This is my way of making it up."

The boy nodded and faded away. The woman remained for a moment, gazing sadly after the retreating figure of her son. He had gone so far off the righteous path that he could no longer see her.

"I'll see you soon, Seymour." She whispered as she faded away. "Soon...

"On the Farplane."

Author's note:

Seymour's mother is such a fascinating figure. More needs to be done with/about her.

Sorry about the short chapter... But I'm just not up to writing big long things right now. On the other hand, they're coming out pretty fast, aren't they?


	29. No Rest for the Weary

Deliver Me 

This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.

Summary: A random bridge chapter

"Where's Auron?" Rikku inquired when Yuna came into the dining room alone.

"He went to lie down." Yuna replied, sitting in the vacant seat at the head of the table. "He really is feeling very tired."

"He's not sick, is he?" Wakka asked, concerned. "I mean, he's dead and all, but—"

"Can you imagine what a sick zombie would look like?" Rikku mused. "It would be GROSS. Stuff falling off all over the place..."

"This is hardly appropriate dinner conversation." Lulu chided.

"Green arms and legs...rivers of pus..." Rikku went on almost dreamily.

"Ugggh." Wakka shuddered but did not stop eating his food. Yuna hid her giggle, but could only poke at the food on her plate. It was simple fare that was appropriate to eat after a long journey and it wasn't bland or pasty, but Yuna found that she just didn't have much of an appetite. Kimahri noticed this and nudged her plate toward her, making her blink.

"Sorry," she said, smiling apologetically. "My mind's somewhere else, I guess."

Kimahri nodded and went back to his own food. Living with humans for ten years had given him an unusually high dexterity in his hands; there was no stiffness or clumsiness in his thick fingers as he easily maneuvered his chopsticks to pick up the bite-sized chunks of meat on his platter. He did, however, accidentally drop the meat and surreptitiously pick it up with his claws when he thought nobody was looking. Yuna ate a spiced potato chunk and chewed it slowly.

"Can you imagine bits of brain flying out of their noses every time they sneezed?" Rikku asked, grinning. "Or running down their faces?"

"Rikku, that's disgusting!" Lulu said, shuddering.

"Maybe they go all crispy when they get a fever." Wakka mused aloud.

Lulu glared. "Wakka!"

The atmosphere of casual joviality felt forced. Yuna mechanically speared another chunk of potato on her chopsticks and put it in her mouth. Some part of her mind refused to concentrate on the food and her surroundings, however, and tingled with the peculiar mix of fear and determination that Tidus had familiarly called "bad vibes". Something—Seymour—was coming, Yuna was certain of it, and the fact that he could be destroyed before he even showed up niggled at the back of her mind. While she steadfastly refused to even think for a moment about risking Sir Auron on an attack that might trap him forever, a small part of her quietly reminded her of the possibility.

("Damn the possibilities...")

"Yuna, are you alright?" Lulu asked, breaking Yuna's introspection. "You're barely picking at your food."

Yuna looked down at her plate. Except for two chunks of potato, it wasn't missing anything. "I guess I'm not that hungry," she admitted, and put her chopsticks down.

"You have to eat something." Lulu said in a distinctly maternal manner.

Yuna picked up her chopsticks and pushed the food around on her plate. Nothing really seemed appetizing when one knew one's enemy was back from the grave for the umpteenth time. Yuna had lost count of how many times her group had killed Seymour a long time ago.

"_You're_ not sick, are you?" Rikku asked suddenly, frowning. "I mean...you haven't been taking good care of yourself lately, and..."

"I'm fine. Really." Yuna said, trying not to be annoyed. She picked up a chunk of rice and popped it into her mouth.

Lulu spoke again. "Yuna, try not to worry so much—"

Only the rice in her mouth prevented her from snapping at her guardian. She couldn't help being worried, damn it! Her senior guardian was turning into a fiend, an enemy was back from the dead yet again, and last but certainly not least, the Farplane had ceased to exist! Though she wasn't sure exactly what she could do about the last thing, she felt it was her responsibility as a summoner/the High Summoner/the Grand Maestrix of Yevon to do something. She concentrated on eating until the flare of irritation went away. Just as she took a deep drink of cool barley tea to wash the food down, the doors to the dining room burst open and Isaaru walked in, composed but hurried nonetheless.

"Lady Yuna." He said, stopping before the table and bowing. Yuna hastily swallowed and rose to her feet, stepping around the table.

"Isaaru, what's wrong?" She asked, concerned. A thrill of dread raced up her spine, making her feel vaguely like throwing up the food she had just ingested.

"Fiends are attacking Bevelle." Isaaru said evenly. Nothing seemed to disturb his calm, which Yuna found both admirable and slightly frightening. "The Crusaders and the warrior monks are doing the best they can, but as you know, their numbers have been greatly reduced since the start of the Eternal Calm."

"Nothing like a little exercise after dinner." Wakka said cheerfully, rising to his feet.

"Don't work too hard, Wakka, or you'll get a cramp." Rikku said playfully, also getting to her feet. Lulu and Kimahri also rose.

"Where are the fiends massing?" Yuna inquired, looking at Isaaru.

"In the residential areas." The once-summoner informed her. "They're attacking our most vulnerable citizens."

"That makes sense," Yuna said slowly, "but fiends have never attacked Bevelle in a concentrated effort before. I think..."

"It sounds planned." Lulu murmured, frowning.

Rikku looked at her swiftly. "Seymour...?"

"It can't be, it's way too soon!" Wakka exclaimed, shaking his head. "We just killed him yesterday, ya?"

"And there isn't really anything to indicate that these fiends are under his control." Lulu murmured, rubbing her arms. "But—"

"In any case, there are fiends to kill." Yuna said, looking at her guardians. "We'll need to dispose of them no matter what."

Kimahri swished his tail and walked off, making an impatient gesture with one blue-furred hand. "Kimahri wake Auron. Wait here."

"Okay." Rikku chirped and plunked into the nearest chair. Reaching into her sphere-activated storage system, she added, "This'll be the _perfect_ opportunity to test out this doohickey I bought off Rin."

"What doohickey?" Wakka asked suspiciously. "Some sort of machina?"

"Right in one!" Rikku said with a grin. Pyreflies shimmered in her hands as she pulled the item out of inventory and watched it solidify into two thick silver and gold shapes. Taking the shapes in her hands and inspecting them, she explained, "According to Rin, these babies yank energy out of the air in order to make an endless supply of bullets. Bevellians during the Machina War used things like these to kick Zanarkand's butt. Cool, huh? History in my hands..." She inspected the gold plating on the machina pieces and added, "He could have called them something cooler than "Tiny Bees", though."

"Are you sure you can handle those?" Lulu asked, frowning. "They look a bit large for you."

"They're no bigger than the drills I use to customize your armor. And it's not like I can punch the fiends out of the air, anyway." Rikku suddenly looked at Yuna. "Hey, Yunie, want one of these?"

Yuna shook her head. "No thanks, I'll stick with my staff."

Rikku shrugged. "Suit yourself."

Kimahri came back into the room, followed by a sleepy and vaguely grumpy-looking Auron.

"Let's go." The elder guardian muttered, and Yuna noticed him absently rubbing his chest. Yuna turned to Isaaru and spoke firmly.

"Take us to the fiends."

Isaaru nodded and bowed. "At once, my lady... Follow me."

Author's note:

I like Korean food. I think Spirans would like Korean food too. FFX was supposed to have an Asian feel, anyway, so chopsticks and spiced potatoes seemed appropriate...

On another note, Yuna's refusal of the Tiny Bee is my own subtle judgment on FFX-2. It was a very silly game on the most part and it didn't add much to the original saga. But the one speech Yuna makes at the end about having no choice, I thought that ameliorated a lot of the dumbness of the game. It definitely added another dimension to her character.

Plus, it showed Yuna could be gutsy. Very gutsy. Tidus can swim, but he can't climb and jump like his girlfriend can. Their children will be omni-skilled. Mwahahahaha.


	30. Hurrying Right Along

Deliver Me 

This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.

Summary: Battle preparations.

It had been easy for Seymour to convince some of the angrier souls in his Farplane trap to leave and return to Spira as vengeful fiends. Criminals, malcontents, and people furious at their sudden deaths had been all too eager to wreak some hell on earth, particularly on those who had the audacity to live happy, normal lives while they were dead. Seymour dispassionately watched his horde of fiends rip through Bevelle, the screams of the hurt and dying rolling off his ears. Normally this type of waste annoyed him, but the carnage was necessary this time: it was the only way to draw Lady Yuna out from the protection of the Palace of St. Bevelle. Once outside its rosy walls, Seymour would be free to battle as he pleased, because while Lady Yuna would worry about injuring innocents, he most certainly would not. The populace of Bevelle would be a wall of flesh to shield him, and their spirits would only fuel his power. A smile touched his lips. This time, Lady Yuna would be the one to die.

("And then she will be mine for all eternity... I will show her who is the stronger of us two, whose ideas are in the right. She will never thwart me again.")

He restrained the impulse to cackle maniacally, but allowed himself a singularly vicious smile as he leapt up lightly onto a convenient fountain to survey the destruction and watch for Lady Yuna. Being an unsent and a red mage, he did not see things as a living creature did; he saw their life energy rather than their bodies, and he searched for Lady Yuna's life energy now, altering his unsent eyes to look through buildings and creatures to finally find her approached the mayhem, guardians (of course) in tow. A reddish shape at her side resolved itself into Sir Auron, and Seymour smirked. From the legendary guardian's chest was a long red lead of sorcery that was looped around Seymour's hand, and if he chose to pull on it, the old warrior would have no choice but to come to him.

("And it would make Lady Yuna come faster...")

Seymour yanked on the lead and a mile away, Sir Auron gagged as the insides of his body seemed to surge forward, trying to break out of his body. He stumbled forward a few steps and nearly tripped over his own feet as his eyes watered and his stomach somersaulted in pain. As he braced himself against a wall for balance, the red line sticking out of his chest shimmered a bright, bloody crimson.

"Seymour," Auron growled, rolling his one eye up in the direction where he knew the half-Guado would be. As distant though he was, Auron could see his enemy in fine detail and glared as he saw the triumphant grin on Seymour's face.

Yuna put her hand on his shoulder, looking at him in alarm. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," Auron said, straightening and looking off into the distance. "Let's go. He needs killing."

Yuna was taken aback by his unusually brutal language and saw the same worry in the rest of her guardians. Auron didn't seem to notice their disturbance as he strode off, nor the way they all hesitated for a fraction of a second before following him.

The different districts on Bevelle were separated by high walls that served also as walkways, and Yuna and her guardians made use of these paths to quickly reach the besieged neighborhoods. Shelinda greeted them at a rough checkpoint/watchtower that had been set up on a broader bit of wall.

"Lady Yuna!" She called, waving. Yuna was startled to see a flamethrower in her hands, but then recalled that Shelinda was in charge of Maester Kinoc's old office and would of course have occasion to use arms. Jogging up to Yuna, Shelinda pointed to the north and said, "We've managed to pick off most of the fiends, but there are a few very strong ones up there we can't get rid of at our current firepower. I'd say to avoid them, but they're where all the fiends seem to be coming from..."

Yuna looked at Auron, who was rubbing his chest and staring fixedly in the direction Shelinda was pointing in. So Seymour was in that direction...

"Thank you, Shelinda," Yuna said, looking back at her maestrix. "We'll take care of those fiends right now."

Shelinda looked worried. "Are you sure, milady? They're very powerful and you don't have any aeons..."

Rikku grinned and twirled her guns. "Oh, I think we'll manage."

Shelinda looked doubtful. "Umm..."

"We'll be fine," Yuna said with all the warmth and confidence she could muster, which really wasn't much. Still, Shelinda smiled and looked more like her normal, non-flamethrower-toting self.

"Take this with you, Lady Yuna," Shelinda said, reaching into her pocket and handing Yuna a sphere that crackled with blue-green lightning. It felt like static electricity when Yuna took it in her hands. "It's a prototype for a fiend-catcher that a team of Crusader mages designed. Right now all it can do is stun, but you never know when that might come in handy."

"Thank you," Yuna said, tucking it into her sleeve.

"Good luck, Lady Yuna," Shelinda said and jogged back to her post. Yuna looked at her guardians. Auron was still staring into the distance, which Yuna found unsettling.

"Shall we get going?" Yuna asked, attempting to bring his attention back to the group.

"Let's get off the wall first," Auron said, looking at her and the other guardians. "We're getting close to Seymour, and we're too visible on this walkway. He'll pick us off from the air."

"Oh, that's right," Rikku grumbled. "He can fly now."

Auron nodded and jumped off the wall, landing solidly on both feet. Kimahri landed in a heavier thump beside him and held his arms up, catching Yuna as she sat down and slid off the walkway. Lulu floated gracefully down, her purple gown billowing, while Rikku flung herself off in an almost suicidal manner before agilely flipping in the air and catching herself neatly on her feet. Wakka jumped off and yelped as he slipped and landed on his behind.

"Damn it!" He swore, getting to his feet and rubbing his posterior. "Every time!"

Rikku tittered and elbowed him jocularly in the side. "Maybe you should go on a diet?"

Wakka glared at her and huffed.

"Let's go," Auron said impatiently and turned in a swirl of red.

"Wait," Yuna said without thinking, and Auron looked at her.

"What?" He asked, annoyed.

Yuna bit her lip. Maybe she was overreacting. Auron always had hurried the group along a little, but now that he had been enchanted twice by Seymour, Yuna couldn't help but wonder if there was some sorcery on him to make him push the group at the half-Guado before they were ready. But of course she couldn't say such a thing aloud.

"I think we should split up," she said, again without thinking, and cringed a little when Auron frowned.

"Why?" He asked, his tone gruff and unfriendly.

Yuna thought quickly. "Well, we're too noticeable as a big group. If Seymour saw us coming, he could get us all pretty easily. After all," she said, getting into a bit of a stride, "we're in a town. There are buildings everywhere, and we can't run and dodge like we would out in the wilds. Plus, there are people around, so we can't even unleash all our strength without running the risk of hurting someone."

Auron turned to face her, completely attentive now. "So what do you think we should do?" He asked, and Yuna felt pleased.

"Well," she said, thinking hard. "I think..."

- - - - -

Author's note:

Yuna has a brain! Woot! Originally it was going to be Auron doing the strategic thinking, but I decided that Seymour's proximity would make him a little less careless than he'd normally be. Plus, this is kind of a sneak battle and nobody in the FFX cast really has that kind of expertise.

Because of that, of course, there could be (and probably is) some out-of-characterness in this chapter. I'm not changing the bit with Shelinda and a firearm, but I need some constructive criticism on the tail end of this chapter. Fire away, people.

Just so you know... The next chapter has been giving me unbelievable amounts of trouble. Until I get that hammered out, Deliver Me is on indefinite hiatus.

- - - - -


	31. Collateral Damage

Deliver Me 

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This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.

/\/\/\/\/\

Summary: Tactical battling action!

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Seymour tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for the guardians to arrive. They were sure taking their time, but that was to be expected: the powerful fiends Seymour had ringed himself with would certainly weaken them, perhaps outright kill a few if he was lucky. Seymour could care less about the guardians at large; the ones he really wanted would be able to survive.

_"All things considered, Sir Auron and Lady Yuna are probably together."_

In more ways than one. Seymour suppressed a smirk. It was almost cliché, the experienced, weathered older man and the sweet young woman: only the sacred bounds of the summoner-guardian relationship stopped people from speculating about the undeniable tension between Auron and Yuna. Out loud, anyway. Their growing closeness throughout this ordeal made Seymour wonder if at some point, they had succumbed to desire.

Inside he felt Tidus (who he gleefully prodded with a metaphysical stick every day) shudder and twitch violently.

_"In fact," _Seymour thought evilly. _"I can almost see it happening."_

_"Whatever floats your sick little boat," _Tidus shot back. The changes captivity had wrought on him were nothing short of spectacular: transforming almost overnight from a happy-go-lucky idiot, Tidus now resembled more of a dark brooder, his once sea-blue eyes a threatening navy. Hostility and anger roiled on the canvas of his soul, hot and caustic enough that Seymour was actually a little afraid. Out of all of Lady Yuna's guardians, he would have thought Tidus the least capable one of contemplating and realistically plotting out murder.

_"Surely you wonder about them?"_ Seymour asked innocently, looking at Tidus through the bars of his cage: all the strong souls were similarly imprisoned, with the high-risk ones like Tidus, his father Jecht, and the Lady Yunalesca also being chained. Tidus's manacled hands twitched slightly.

_"What's to wonder?" _Tidus asked, deceptively calm though his dark eyes roiled. _"He's her guardian and she's his summoner. It's not like...that. They don't love each other the way Yuna and I do."_

_"Are you so certain?" _Seymour asked smugly._ "I could cite over a hundred examples—"_

Tidus glared and the look in his steely blue eyes made Seymour jump. _"It's not like that," _the younger man snarled. _"Stop trying to pervert it."_

_"They're the ones making a fool of you," _Seymour said maliciously, and was rewarded by a renewal of the anger in Tidus's eyes. More likely than not, it was directed at him, but the angrier Seymour made him, the more powerful Tidus would become, and the stronger the fiend that Seymour built from his energy would be. Tidus seemed to sense this, unfortunately, and throttled down his rising fury.

_"Making a fool of me? I don't think so. In fact..."_ And here Tidus swallowed, looking more than a little sick. _"In fact, if Yuna wants to move on, I don't care."_

_"Liar."_

Tidus looked away, lacing his hands together. _"I just want her to be happy... Even if it's not with me."_

_"How noble," _Seymour sneered. _"I doubt you'd feel that way if you saw Sir Auron's hands on her body..."_

Ooh, that nearly did it. Tidus twitched imperceptibly, but his anger level went through the roof. Seymour chuckled and leaned against the bars of the cage.

_"Does he already know how she tastes?" _Seymour taunted. _"I wonder if he's kissed those soft, delicate lips. Has he already _known _her?"_

_"I'm not listening!" _Tidus shouted, almost screaming, clapping his hands over his ears. _"I can't hear you! La la la la la...!"_

Seymour laughed and turned his eye to worldlier affairs. It was not that he didn't enjoy tormenting Tidus, it was just that six people were coming to kill him, and he probably should pay attention to that.

_"Speaking of which, where are they...?"_

Seymour looked around, but now that they had hopped off the wall and hidden themselves in the winding streets of Bevelle, it wasn't nearly as easy to find them as it had been before. And in any case, the only one he could really find was Sir Auron, and it was reasonable to assume that Lady Yuna, at least, would be with him.

Yanking on the sorcerous lead, Seymour smiled as he felt a flare of pain on the opposite end and slid along it, casting his eyes over the surroundings to locate where the guardians were. To Seymour's surprise, Sir Auron was alone.

_"Did they abandon him? No... This must be a trap."_

Sir Auron was muttering under his breath. Curious, Seymour listened in.

"—yank out his guts with a rusty wire and roast them in a blackened pot."

My oh my. Was Sir Auron actually making threats? Seymour laughed aloud. His laughing increased as Sir Auron's swearing became positively sulfurous, blending well-known Spiran swears with terms he'd probably picked up in Zanarkand or the Farplane. When Auron started cursing Seymour's ancestry, however, it ceased to be funny.

_"It's not as though I haven't heard the words unnatural, freak of nature, and never should have been born before, but they never cease to annoy me..." _Seymour thought with a frown._ "Well, I'm here, you bastards. I exist. Get used to it. Get _very _used to it, because this halfbreed will become your master."_

"—makes me sick just looking at him—"

Seymour twitched. It wasn't like he hadn't heard _that_ either, but still...

"—birth signaled the deterioration of the Guado—"

Seymour's hands flexed as he gritted his teeth, trying to contain his rising fury.

"—corruption of races—"

"Ignore it, ignore it, ignore it," Seymour chanted quietly under his breath. "He's trying to make you angry. Ignore it, ignore it..."

"His mother was a cross-species whore." Sir Auron said quite clearly.

Seymour went still as his vision clouded with red. Later he would think how ironic it was, that he'd been trying to provoke someone to unthinking rage only moments before it happened to him. _Nobody_ talked about his mother that way! Not after all she'd gone through, after all she'd given up. The air around Seymour began to shimmer with bloody promise as Berserk threatened to ripple over him.

"The world's better off now that she's dead," Sir Auron went on, and Seymour could have sworn the grizzled guardian was speaking straight to him. "She'd've done well to drown Seymour at birth."

With an incoherent bellow of rage Seymour sprang off the fountain and blazed through the air to find and kill Sir Auron.

_"It's not as if he'll permanently die anyway..."_

Seymour got about forty feet before he slammed facefirst into a well-placed Barrier spell, the impact nearly snapping his undead neck. Stunned, he fell from the air, dazedly seeing Kimahri spring out of a nearby alleyway.

_"If he throws that spear..." _Seymour thought with dread, seeing the Spirit Lance gleaming in Kimahri's hand—but no. Kimahri was charging forth instead, apparently intent on stabbing him. With a supreme effort, Seymour wrenched himself out of the way, the Spirit Lance slicing uselessly through his sleeve. Ignoring the throbbing pain in his neck—he was glad for it, actually, it killed his anger—Seymour swung back into the air and spun around furiously, looking for more waiting guardians.

A tattoo of loud bangs was all the warning Seymour had before pain hailed his back, driving him out of the air with a strangled cry of pain. As he tumbled, he saw Rikku getting up from her hiding place on a nearby roof, where she'd been lying on her stomach and covered in soot—lord, had she rolled in dirt to hide those bright colors of hers? No, it was only Lulu's dress. Wait, dress?

Seymour hit the ground in a painful, ungainly clatter of limbs, realizing something revolutionary just before his head banged against the cobblestones. Yuna's guardians weren't working in teams as they usually did; they'd split up to attack him as seven separate units. Normally Seymour would have laughed at their strategy, but in an urban area where his view and movement were restricted, seven hit-and-run attackers could easily take him out by assaulting him from all sides.

_"Rikku's job is to keep me out of the air, apparently," _Seymour thought, and felt the pounding of Kimahri's feet through the cobblestones. Instead of trying to flee, Seymour waited supine on the ground, listening hard for the shriek of the Spirit Lance cleaving the air. There it was, a malignant hiss just above his back... Seymour threw himself toward Kimahri and heard the Ronso grunt in surprise as his feet were knocked out from under him. As Kimahri tripped, Seymour jumped to his feet and lunged for him, intending to use him as a hostage.

But then out of nowhere, one of Wakka's blitzballs came pelting out of the air, ricocheting off the walls to curve around the fountain—which was probably hiding Wakka from view—and slam Seymour roundly in the head. Seymour's vision exploded into white stars and he staggered, almost falling onto Kimahri even as the young Ronso scrambled to his feet and whirled around.

_"I'm doomed," _Seymour thought sickly.

Instinctively he drew within himself, yanking out a white starburst of inherent magic. Without focus, without purpose Seymour threw it out at Kimahri, where it—and hopefully he—exploded with an almighty bang that nearly blinded its caster. Seymour whipped around and began to run, trying desperately to think of a way to win this insane battle.

_"If it weren't for all these buildings, I could see them! But wait... The building s aren't permanent!"_

Enraged that this ridiculously easy solution hadn't occurred to him before, Seymour charged up a Firaga spell and blasted it at the nearest structure, making it explode in a shower of half-molten stone and metal. As the intense heat rippled the air, he saw a flash of a blue skirt disappearing around the next building.

"Lady Yunaaaaa!" Seymour shouted, sudden elation mixing with his anger to create a cracked singsong tone. Charging up another Firaga in his hands, he roared, "You can't hide forever!"

If Seymour had had normal hair, he would have felt it prickling as the air around him suddenly charged with electricity. As it was, he had no warning as a column of lightning, as thick as a tree and as furious as God's wrath, dropped from the sky. Seymour's scream was lost in the roar of blood in his ears and the noise of flesh bubbling and hissing.

But he'd suffered worse than this. Lightning was nothing compared to Ultima, after all, and he was undead to boot; it would take much more than this to kill him. As the lightning dissipated, Seymour shook his head free of the electricity and spun around, looking for Lulu. There she was, ducking back into an alleyway; now that she hadn't her long skirt on, he could see her gartered stockings disappearing into laced-up, surprisingly practical knee boots. And there Kimahri was, crumpled at the base of a wall; he only been blasted away, not obliterated. Damn. Seymour almost jumped onto the fountain to locate Wakka and Yuna, but remembered Rikku at the last second. She would knock him out of the air the same way she had the first time, though he wasn't sure how she'd accomplished that; probably with a machina, considering how she was an Al Bhed...

So Seymour flung a Firaga into the building she'd been lying on and grinned when he heard a high-pitched, feminine scream. Whether it was Lulu, Yuna, or Rikku he didn't care; at least he was striking back now, no longer the hedged-in quarry...

A whisper just brushed over his ear and a second later Seymour staggered, suddenly unbalanced. He would have wondered why, but instead he gaped in astonishment at the thing—his arm—that had just fallen off his torso and thumped to the ground, where it was already dissolving into pyreflies. By it, a richly embossed black blade lifted slowly from the ground, pulled by a pair of arms that belonged to a one-eyed swordsman.

_"How could I forget about Sir Auron?" _ Seymour wondered dazedly, turning around. He felt weirdly light on one side, pyreflies flooding out of his wound: vaguely he thought he heard Tidus laughing.

_"You're gonna get it now, you bastard!" _The blitzer crowed.

"Hello," Auron said dryly. Though no worse for wear, the way he looked then would have inspired terror in any living being; there was a cold, deadly purpose etched in the grim lines of his face, one matched by the steely glint of his sword. Lifting the Masamune, he said, "Goodbye," and swung the blade.

The Masamune sank into Seymour's head, cleaving through his skull, neck, and torso to bisect him from head to toe. Curiously, Seymour felt no pain, only an o'erweening surprise as the metallic cold cut through his innards, freezing his veins. So was this how it was all going to end, with a single sword slash from top to bottom? Was it really going to be that simple? Seymour saw his myriad other deaths flick before his eyes, always at Sir Auron's hand. Were those omens, sure predictions? Was he just _meant_ to die?

_"No... I refuse..."_

Seymour struggled, gathering his rapidly dissipating will and clutching it to his center. With millions of thought-tendrils, he snatched at the millions of other souls that had been in his control, messily and furiously binding them into a shape, any shape, that would keep him anchored to the real world.

_"I don't even care if I don't look like myself, but I refuse to die so easily! I will not go to the Farplane—I destroyed the damn thing, there's no place for me anymore! Only Spira exists now... And I will conquer it as I conquered the Farplane!"_

Seymour roared, and he felt multiple throats vibrate, myriad voices rend the air. Through eyes that seemed to see the same thing thrice, yet from different angles, he saw Sir Auron pale and back up, saw Wakka gape and Lulu stare in horror. Vaguely Seymour wondered what he looked like.

_"Probably horrific...a true monster. Huh—well, I don't care. Whatever gets the job done..."_

He lunged for Sir Auron and saw—what? A hand? A claw? The spiked foreleg of an insect?—shoot forward, snatching at the guardian. Despite his shock, Sir Auron nimbly evaded and leapt away, his face hardening in resolve.

"Let them GO!" He bellowed, running forward.

_"Let them go?" _Seymour thought, puzzled, as Sir Auron ran at him: Seymour warded him away with two swipes of his weird new limbs, delighting in how effective his monster body was. Out of the corner of his eye—eyes—he saw the other guardians getting ready to attack. Instinctively he knew they were too far to hit, and he curled one of his arthropod-like legs against his underside, charging up a spell.

"Quake!" He roared, slamming the energy into the ground: at once the cobbled courtyard heaved violently, buildings shattering into blocks of stone, and Seymour laughed as the guardians scrambled comically for cover, dodging boulders and broken glass. His whole body—it felt massive, unwieldy—shook with the force of his laughter...

_"That's not your laughing..." _Seymour heard Tidus say weakly, faintly, from within him. _"That's making everything shake..."_

Seymour wondered what he meant by that and froze as the ground suddenly buckled.

_"Oh, don't tell me..."_

The guardians shrieked as the ground suddenly sank, bowing inwards, and the floor suddenly broke, falling away to reveal an endless expanse of black: Seymour scrambled, but his insectoid legs, so good for attacking, were useless to jump with. Seymour frantically tried to restructure his weird body: it was just made of pyreflies, he could mold it like clay, right? Right?

Seymour prayed he could at least mold wings as the entire courtyard collapsed and dropped him, along with the guardians, into the previously unknown, bottomless pit below Bevelle.

/\/\/\/\/\

Author's note:

And NOW we move on! Ha-ha!

If you're wondering what Seymour looks like, check out the movie Spirited Away and imagined bloated No-Face with more legs and random people's faces sticking out of it. If not that, then the Wall of Fayth on top of Gagazet wrapped around an irregularly shaped crab with waaaaaay too many legs. I didn't really put much thought into the weird-ass thing Seymour turned into, mostly because it's not his final transformation...

And you get a metaphysical rotisserie chicken if you can tell me what the pit below Bevelle is.

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	32. Boing!

Deliver Me 

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This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.

/\/\/\/\/\

Summary: Boing!

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Yuna hated heights. She was absolutely petrified of heights. When she had jumped off the edge of the Highbridge, it had only been her overwhelming hatred of Seymour that had given her the courage to escape in such a dramatic fashion. Even as Valefor had caught her securely on her red-feathered breast, Yuna had been all but fainting with fear.

Now there was no Valefor, no parachute, nothing between her and an endless drop that would end in death. Yuna was not prone to screaming, but this terrifying weightlessness, this fatal freefalling, definitely merited some kind of reaction.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

She was twisting, rolling, pitching dizzyingly in the air as mortar and stone fell around her. She thought she could see Lulu screaming too, thought she saw a flash of Wakka's hair. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Rikku flapping her arms, shrieking. Her cousin's shrill voice cut through the sound of her screaming.

"Yuna! Yuna, cast Float!"

Float? Float! Swallowing hard, Yuna shut her eyes and gripped the Nirvana, desperately recalling the way to cast the spell. Horror seized her as she realized she did not remember how. After all, they hadn't used it that often...

_"And besides, Float doesn't stop you midair! It just suspends you above the ground, which means you have to _hit the ground _first..."_

Yuna opened her eyes and saw Kimahri, still unconscious, falling bonelessly below her. Auron was a blur of red in the distance, his voluminous coat offering no resistance to the drop. Fleetingly Yuna wondered if he could teach them the secret of coming back as an unsent, because if he came back—as she knew he would, and knew that Seymour would—he would be fighting all alone. That, and...

_"I don't want to die!" _She cried in her mind. _"I don't want to die! I didn't kill Sin and Yunalesca and Yu Yevon to die like this! I don't want to die when I've fought so hard for my life!"_

And everyone else—none of them were thirty yet, they had just begun to taste life's sweetness. A hard lump rose in Yuna's throat as she remembered that Rikku was only fifteen: she hadn't even experienced love. At least she had had Tidus...

"Shield!" She heard Auron bellowing, and she twisted around to see him brandishing his sword at the darkness. Though a part of her scoffed wretchedly—what did he think he could do?—the larger part of her swelled in painful affection. She would always remember this, for the short time that she had still to be alive: Auron, her ever-faithful guardian, standing with sword in hand against the darkness, ready to fight it back, to defeat it... The pyreflies that were wrapping around him, fluttering around his clothes, looking like shooting stars.

BANG!

"Ow!" Yuna yelped, and saw Lulu and Wakka, falling above her, slam through a blue film that flared as they passed through it: it snatched at them, clawing at their clothes.

"Shield!" Auron bellowed again, and this time Yuna saw the blue film form underneath his feet, his body falling through it with a loud snap as it broke around him, slowing his fall: Yuna righted herself and hit the film with a bone-jarring thump, breaking through it. It was infinitesimal, but she thought she could feel herself slowing down...

"Shield!" Auron shouted, and hope began to flutter in Yuna's chest. "Shield! Shield! Shield!"

Bang, bang, bang, bang. Yuna lost track of how many times Auron yelled, how many blue films they exploded through: all she was aware of was her descent, how she could feel gravity pulling on her again as she slowed down.

_"Could it be? Will we actually live through this?"_

Rocks and mortar passed without resistance through the film, shooting past her and her guardians to fall to the ground: distantly Yuna could hear them breaking, cracking like thunder as they met the earth. Fear began to tighten in her stomach and Yuna shut her eyes, praying fervently for more Shields, though her legs were numb with pain and her skin felt flayed from breaking through the blue films. They were falling much slower now, but the distance was still fatal. She heard Auron stop shouting and she opened her eyes to see him looking down, staring at the ground below. Oh Yevon, she could see it rushing up.

"AAHHHHHHH!" She screamed again.

"SHIELD!" Auron roared, his loudest cry yet, and Yuna saw a final blue film, crackling with golden energy, form far below them, now rushing up to meet them. It was darker, thicker than its predecessors, and Yuna tensed up, shutting her eyes again, knowing breaking through that Shield would hurt...

She hit it, still falling, and felt it wrap around her, stretching and cold, like the stuff Rikku's wetsuit was made of. Yuna felt herself slowing, the blue film catching her and bending to accommodate her fall. She felt herself stop...

And then, impossibly, begin to rise. Slowly at first, and then incrementally faster, Yuna gasped as the blue film flung her _upwards_, back into the air, back into the blackness she'd just plunged through. She shot up past Wakka and Lulu, who stared at her in shock as they hit the film—and bounced back up. Yuna heard them hit the blueness with a deep-toned booming noise that reached its depth as they came to a stop, and then shot up the registers as it flung them back into the air.

"Yuna!"

"Huh?" Yuna spun around: it was Auron, falling from above her now. As he fell by, he shouted, "Are you alright?"

"Y-yes!" She shouted back, reaching the apex of her bounce: she hung there a moment and then fell back down, heading headfirst for the film.

"Eeeeeeyaaahhhhh!" Rikku shrieked, bouncing off the film and popping back into the air. Yuna looked at her: she sounded curiously unafraid. "Whooooooo!"

"What is this!" Wakka yelled as he shot past Yuna, flying into the air.

"It's the best I could do!" Auron shouted back as he hit the film.

"Yuna!" Rikku yelled joyously. "Yunie! Look at meeeeeee!"

And right before Yuna's eyes, Rikku flipped impossible somersaults, catlike falls, hit the film, and danced a spinning, whirling ballet in the air. Despite her fear of heights, Yuna began to laugh.

"How long are we going to keep bouncing?" Lulu demanded.

"Until we stop!" Auron snapped.

"This is AWESOME!" Rikku whooped. "Auron, this is the best trampoline ever!"

"Why does it make a boing noise?" Wakka wondered aloud.

With a jolt, Yuna suddenly realized that it was exactly the noise Auron's Shield made. She burst out laughing as she hit the film again and popped back into the air. It was completely stupid, but the idea that they were all boinging...

_"Tidus, you would have loved this..."_

She heard a surprised snort from Kimahri; he had just regained consciousness. Flying by him as he fell, she saw him spin around, trying to catch himself on the blue film, and then exclaiming in a loud, surprisingly high, "Mraap!" of surprise as he flew back into the air. Yuna clutched her sides, laughing so hard that tears came from her eyes.

_"I'm always going to remember this..." _She thought, flying through the air: breathless and weightless, somehow falling was no longer terrifying. She heard Rikku cheering, Wakka laughing, even Auron's deep-throated chuckle as they went spinning through the air. The darkness they'd fallen from, had come falling through, was no longer threatening, as was the rock-strewn ground below them. Later, Yuna could attribute life-changing revelations to that seemingly endless and fatal fall, the way she and her friends had escaped death yet again. Later, Yuna would realize that the faint, idle thoughts of suicide, of joining Tidus in the afterlife, had completely disappeared. The revelations, the cession of death wishes, and her thoughts now were all of the same simple, glorious sentiment...

It is good to be alive.

/\/\/\/\/\

Author's note:

Written in a hurry, as you can probably tell. Now that I've moved beyond the falling bit, I can finally get on with the rest of the story! Whoo! I foresee an end around Chapter 50.

/\/\/\/\/\


	33. The Rabbit Hole

Deliver Me 

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This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft.

/\/\/\/\/\

Summary: Stupid magic!

/\/\/\/\/\

"So... Where exactly are we?"

The question naturally came from Rikku. Her voice echoed in the huge chamber the guardians, once they had stopped bouncing, had found themselves in. As they climbed down the mountain of rubble that had fallen without benefit of Shields, Auron hefted his sword on his shoulder said, "Underneath Bevelle, there are two extensive dungeons. We're already familiar with one of them."

"The Via Purifico," Yuna remembered, nodding.

"Yes." Auron looked around, his eye narrowing. "This is the other, the Via Infinito."

"Infinito?" Wakka repeated, frowning. "I don't like the sound of that."

"As well you shouldn't. As well as being dark and cold, it's an endless dungeon that goes into the bowels of the earth and it's full of fiends."

As Rikku looked nervously around, Lulu looked at Auron and said, "How do you get out of here?"

"Normally there's a sigil on the floor," Auron said, hopping onto the ground. As Kimahri landed lightly beside him, the red-robed guardian turned to face the group and said, "However, our rubble appears to have fallen right on top of that..."

"So we're trapped?" Rikku squeaked, her green eyes going huge.

Auron shook his head. "If memory serves me right, there should be another sigil around. We can use that to get back."

"Memory?" Yuna said, looking at him. "You've been here before?"

"Yes. The warrior monks sent trainees down here before ordaining them—a sort of final exam, you might say."

"How far down did you get?" Rikku asked, leaping nimbly off the rubble mountain and lighting next to him.

"Level 9," Auron said.

"Is that far?"

"Considering I was alone, it was pretty decent."

Yuna held her hands out and Kimahri stepped forward, wrapping his huge hands around her wait to lift her down. "How far down do you think we are now?"

Auron shrugged. "Hard to say—the chambers aren't numbered."

"Is this the sigil you were talking about?"

The group turned and saw Rikku examining a glowing sign on the ground.

"Don't touch that!" Lulu said instantly. "You don't know where it's going!"

"I'm not stupid, Lu," Rikku said, and made Lulu slap her forehead as she immediately nudged it with her toe. "I think it's broken anyway. Active glyphs glow bright, don't they? This one looks kinda...dead."

"Let me see," Auron said, walking over. "Hmm..."

"I don't like that noise," Rikku said, looking up at him and frowning.

"This glyph appears to have been the one that takes you back up..."

"You know, I just saw that one coming," Wakka said to no one in particular.

"We'll have to go to the next floor," Auron said, turning around. "There should be another glyph there."

"Should be?" Lulu said, frowning.

"Well, that one could be dead too."

"You are _not_ helping," Rikku said darkly, glaring at him.

"What happens if that one doesn't work?" Yuna asked, slightly nervous.

Auron considered for a few moments. "The Great Cloisters have more magic in them... If any would be working, it would be those. However..." Auron said slowly, looking around. "The next one is going to be ten levels down."

"Ten levels!" More than one person exclaimed.

Auron hefted his sword. "We should be alright as long as we haven't gone too far... Did anybody see where Seymour landed?"

Shakes of heads all around. "Huh, he probably went poofy on us," Wakka scoffed, looking up at the place they'd fallen from: it was nighttime, so there was no glimmer of daylight to provide a clue as to how far they'd fallen.

"Which means he could strike from anywhere," Auron said with a frown. "Let's get moving. The sooner we're out of here, the better."

"Amen to that!" Rikku said fervently. "This place is even creepier than the Omega Dungeon. At least that was natural..."

"I know what you mean," Yuna said as Rikku and Auron walked back to rejoin the group at the rubble mountain. "I can't help but think that this place was used for something else other than training."

"I bet they're hiding something down here," Rikku said, her green eyes glinting. "Something BIG."

"Yes," Auron said seriously. Everyone looked at him, surprised. "Big monsters. Be careful."

"Aww," Rikku pouted. "You know, it's misleading when you do that."

"No kidding. I thought he was going to say something like, 'big scary weapons', ya?" Wakka chuckled.

"There might be," Auron said with a shrug. "I don't know everything that's down here."

"I hope we find something to blow Seymour up with," Rikku chuckled evilly. "Permanently."

"I'll second you on that motion," Lulu said with a small smile.

Yuna twirled her staff in her fingers. "Let's get going. This place is...kind of creepy."

"I'll second you on THAT," Rikku said enthusiastically. Spinning on her heel, she bowed floridly to Auron and said, "Lead the way, O wise guardian."

Auron chuckled and walked around the mountain of rubble, the rest of the party in tow. Yuna trotted up beside him.

"Are you alright?" She murmured quietly.

"Fine," he said, surprised. "Why do you ask?"

"You're not tired from putting up those shields?"

"No," Auron said, frowning. "Not really."

"Hmm..."

"Something wrong?"

"No, not really... Just puzzling, that's all."

"What is?"

"Well... Where did you learn to make them?"

Auron scratched his chin. "Not too long ago. The Calm Lands, just recently. I was fighting Seymour and somehow made a barrier... And then we were falling, it seemed like the right thing to do."

Yuna surreptitiously glanced at his hand, which had been taking on definite clawlike qualities when she had seen it last. To her disappointment, it was the same.

"_Well, what was I expecting? That by using some latent unsent ability, he'd purge his curse?"_

As if sensing her gaze, Auron curled his bare hand into a fist and tucked it into his robe. Yuna looked away, unaccountably embarrassed.

There was a glyph at the other end of the hall and unlike its cousin, it seemed to be active. Auron stopped at the edge of it and waited for the rest of the group to catch up.

"Are we ready?" He asked.

Wakka rubbed his hands. "Down the magic tunnel, ya? Let's do it."

The guardians spread out in a circle around the glyph. They paused for a moment, each reflecting on what they were about to do. The glyph would take them one level lower, hopefully having a return glyph on the next floor—if not, then they'd have to keep going down, through the dark and damp, with fiends and Seymour lurking about, until they got to the next Great Cloister. It was not a nice plan, but at least it was something to work with.

"On three," Yuna said, taking a deep breath. "One, two..."

The guardians stepped simultaneously onto the glyph and vanished in a flash of light.

/\/\/\/\/\

Author's note:

Phew, another chapter done... And sorry, no 'stupid magic' was performed in this, as the summary vaguely promised. The next chapter will be more interesting, I swear.

/\/\/\/\/\


	34. Random Battle

Deliver Me 

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This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft. Except the vampire one, that's mine. MINE.

/\/\/\/\/\

Summary: Who hates dragons? Raise your hands!

/\/\/\/\/\

The next 'up' glyph did not work, as did the next and the one after that. With assorted sighs, grumbles, and even what sounded like Ronso swearing from Kimahri (though that could have just been a growl), the group settled in for the long, fiend-infested walk to the next Great Cloister.

Auron had never been particularly affected by the cold before, even when he'd been alive, but for some reason, the dank chill of the Via Infinito permeated through his coat, into his flesh, and settled deep in his bones, making him bunch ineffectually into his robes for warmth. He also became uncomfortably, powerfully aware of what would make him feel warmer—after all, it was pulsing around him in people-shaped containers. His mouth watered at the thought of sinking his teeth into a plump, fast-flowing artery and he gritted his teeth so hard that his jaw muscles ached.

_"Got to get out of here... This place isn't good for me at all."_

Yuna didn't make things any better by sticking to him like his shadow's younger sister. He knew she was just worried about him, but her hot-blooded presence at his side made him twitch whenever he so much as glanced her way. Sweetly oblivious to the bloodlust she was stirring in him, she continued to walk, looking straight ahead and occasionally at him. Though normally inoffensive, her queries after his health began to grate on his nerves.

_"I'm fine until I say otherwise, child—leave me alone."_

The fiends did not make things easier. While weak enough to dispatch with a single sword-swing, spell, or blitzball to the face, there were enough of them that the group never really got a rest. The darkness, the cold, and the relentless trickle of fiends made everyone irritable and thus, more hot-blooded. Auron grimly realized he knew what going crazy felt like.

_"The inside of my head is itching...my good eye won't stop twitching...and everyone keeps bitching... _

"_Wait a moment, why am I making up rhymes?"_

Auron growled unintelligibly and covered his face in one hand.

"Are you alright?" came the inevitable question.

Auron suppressed the urge to scream, repeating silently over and over that it was his bloodlust talking, the part of him that lobbied ceaselessly for conversion to fiend. Taking a deep (and supposedly calming) breath, he said shortly, "As alright as I'm going to be. Let's keep going."

A fiend chose this moment to leap right in front of him and without even batting an eye Auron levered the Masamune off his shoulder and clove it in two. Yuna started, as did the rest of the group: quick kills from Auron weren't unusual, but the grim way he'd done it, with the total silence and lack of preamble, weren't like him. A collective thought of, _"Auron's pissed..." _went over the entire group, and they were silent as they descended to the next floor.

...which was unaccountably warm. No one noticed that, though, because the floor rumbling had immediately caught their attention.

"What's that booming noise?" Wakka asked, frowning.

"Seymour?" Lulu wondered.

"Seymour usually flies," Rikku pointed out, looking at the group. "This feels like something heavy's jumping over and over again..."

"Whatever it is, it's far away," Auron said. "We'll worry about it when we get to it."

His brusque assurance was better than nothing, so the group set forward with only a little more than the usual trepidation. Big didn't necessarily mean powerful, after all, and they had taken down beasts like the Omega Weapon and Sin! What could possibly be more frightening?

The answer came bounding up the hall, all red-scaled, fire-breathing, two tons of it.

"AHHHH!" Rikku screamed even as she slid into battle stance. "What the hell is that!"

"It's an Elder Drake," Auron said tersely. "Very tough, very powerful." Glancing around and noticing their hedged-in position at the end of the dead-end hall, he said, "We're not really in a position to fight it."

"What do we do, then?" Wakka demanded.

Auron closed his eyes and concentrated.

The Elder Drake ran slavering up the hall, roaring so loud that Kimahri dropped to his knees with a yowl of pain, his hands pressed over his ears. Its heavy three-beat canter shook the floor in a such a way that earthquakes must have been made jealous, and the demonic look in its eyes must have come straight from hell...

Which was why the look of sudden shock and injured bewilderment in them was so effing funny as the Drake smashed headfirst into a solid sheet of blue light. Heaven help it, it _crumpled_ like a tin can against that unyielding blue barrier, the impact so sudden and strong that its feet actually lifted off the ground. It came back to earth with a groundshaking thump that threw the entire party to its feet.

"Haha!" Rikku laughed, almost hysterical with relief as she jumped to her feet. "Dumb dragon! Can't get at us, nyah nyah!"

"Rikku, don't taunt it!" Lulu hissed, starting as the Drake hurled itself shoulder-first into the blue sheet, which flickered but gave no quarter. With a snarl, the Drake backed down the hall, glaring mistrustfully at the blue light and at Auron, who was pale and sweating but looked triumphant.

"Is it going away?" Wakka wondered.

No, no it was not. More than one person screamed as the massive red lizard charged down the hall, lowering its head like a battering ram. Yuna was close enough to see Auron's face turn white. Was he strong enough to make a barrier against that much impact?

"_Better safe than sorry."_

"Everyone, throw yourself to the side at the count of three!" Yuna yelled, swinging around to make sure they'd all heard her: she caught nods from all around. Looking at Auron, she caught the flicker of comprehension in his eye and slowly he stood, tensing for a leap. Yuna swallowed hard and faced the dragon.

"One..." She called shakily.

The Drake bellowed, as if sensing what they were about to do, and put on a burst of extra speed that nearly made them all fall down. Yuna fought to stay standing even as she shouted, "Two!"

Wakka made a low, miserable noise in the back of his throat.

"THREE!" Yuna screamed, and the guardians flung themselves to the tunnel walls as Auron dropped the barrier, swiftly rolling out of the way. The Drake ran past them, snorting in shock as it met no resistance. Skidding a stop with sword-sized claws screeching along the floor, the Drake braked at the end of the hall, mere feet before its head would have smashed into the far wall. It turned sinuously and hissed at the party, a sound that went to everyone's bones.

"Damn it!" Yuna swore, nearly in tears. "I thought if it were running fast enough..."

"Go, go, go!" Auron bellowed over her words. "Get to the other end, hurry!"

The guardians ran for their lives. Rikku, despite her shorter legs, instantly took the lead, followed at once by Lulu, surprisingly fast when she didn't have her dress weighing her down. Kimahri was close behind them, Wakka right at his side, and Auron and Yuna brought up the rear. The Drake wasted no time and immediately sprang after them, landing heavily just behind Auron and Yuna. With identical yells of shock they fell to the floor.

"No!" Wakka bellowed, spinning around.

Yuna turned over, white-faced as the Drake lowered its head, sniffing the air deeply as if to decide which one to eat. Auron pushed himself slowly onto his knees.

"Yuna," he said in a soft, quiet voice. "Don't move."

"Okay," she said breathlessly.

"Don't scream."

"Okay."

"And when I tell you to run, you do it without question. Alright?"

"Okay," Yuna whispered, throwing him a fearful, stiff-necked glance. "What are you going to do?"

"My duty," Auron said evenly. As she looked at him in dawning horror, he rose slowly to his feet and crouched, his one eye trained on the monster. Yuna saw flickers of blue light in the air and thought for a moment that he was putting up the massive Shield again—but no, it was just a little one, perfectly spherical, around her. Auron, typically, had done nothing for himself. And he wasn't about to either, as Yuna saw with an almost scream-worthy level of frustration. The elder guardian slowly raised the Masamune and _faced off against the creature._

"Ready," Auron said softly, "Now...RU-"

He didn't get much further than that because the timely arrival of one of Wakka's spiked blitzballs neatly distracted the Drake—specifically, hard on its abused snout. With a roar of injured surprise the Drake bellowed and retreated as the well-thrown blitzball bounced off the wall, hit it in the face, ricocheted off the wall and banged it again on the nose.

"-N!" Auron finished and inside her spherical barrier Yuna whirled around and ran, the curved surface of the barrier as hard and solid as marble. Auron whipped around and ran for it too, taking advantage of the Drake's confusion.

"Come on, come on, hurry up!" Rikku screamed, and Auron started at the almost horrifying array of grenades she had in her hands—that everyone had in their hands, actually. "We already pulled the pins on these things!"

Auron glanced at the barrier ball Yuna was running in. Instinctively he knew that she would not be able to cover the distance between them and the other guardians, though it was one he could cross fairly easily. Swinging his sword over his shoulder, he had enough time to say "Forgive me, Yuna," before slamming the broad flat of the Masamune against the side of the ball.

Up until then, no one had really been certain of Auron's strength. During various points in the pilgrimage, they had seen him split fiends, crystal trees, and even once a large machina that had barred their way. On a lighter note, when Tidus had been annoying him a while ago, Auron'd flipped him upside down, held him by one ankle, and thrown him a good fifteen feet with just one arm—incidentally into the Moonflow, much to everyone's hilarity.

But those feats of strength simply did not compare with the massive force he used to swat—yes, swat—the barrier with Yuna inside it at the group. In less than two seconds, she flew fifty feet down the tunnel and five feet above the ground, screaming the whole time.

"Kimahri, catch!" Auron shouted, and the blue ball vanished, leaving Yuna flailing wildly in the air.

Kimahri definitely Ronso-swore and grunted as he caught his flying summoner, the impact knocking him over. Auron put on a burst of speed that made everyone gape.

"Throw the grenades!" He roared.

Everyone hurled their grenades, pitching them over Auron's head and into the path of the Drake, who had backed up until the blitzball had no longer been able to hurt it. It was charging now, roaring its frustration, and paid no heed to the twenty-odd, apple-sized objects that had just fallen in front of it...

Auron had just enough time to put up a shield of blue light behind him as the grenades detonated, bleaching the color and dark out of the Via Infinito in an explosion that rivaled the birth of a star. The shockwave was so powerful that Auron almost fainted: if he had been alive and without the barrier, the blast would have liquefied his and probably everyone else's organs. As it was, the sheer power of the explosion sent him flying and knocked everyone else off their feet. He crash-landed among them on his face, driving his shades almost disastrously into his eyes.

"Whoa…" He heard Rikku say faintly—whether she was stunned or he was deaf, he didn't know. "That was intense."

"I hate machina," Wakka grumbled.

Lulu, of course, went straight to the heart of the manner. "Did we kill it?"

There was a pregnant pause. Then, with a tired grunt, Auron pushed himself to his feet and turned around, squinting as the smoke from the grenades cleared.

"...Whether we did or whether we didn't," he said after a long, inconclusive look, "Let's keep moving. If it's alive, the more distance we put between us the better."

"Aww, and I wanted to take a trophy," Rikku pouted, sitting up. "I bet I could make something awesome out of its scales."

"Maybe next time," Lulu said in a motherly tone.

"No next time!" Wakka said vehemently. "Not unless we're facing that thing in open air—"

There was an ominous shuffling noise behind them and the group froze as one, terror seizing their systems. Slowly they turned as a large, suspicious shape pulled itself from the smoke...

"AHHH!" Rikku screamed again.

"Why won't it die?" Wakka moaned.

Auron took off running. Everyone else followed his example. For convenience, Kimahri simply held Yuna and ran with her, and for her part Yuna looked over his shoulder and shouted reports on the Drake.

"It's gaining, it's gaining!" She screamed.

"There's the glyph!" Lulu shouted, pointing at a blissfully glowing sign up ahead. "We're almost there, come on!"

Encouraged by the light, the guardians dredged up their reserves and ran as hard as they could. Rikku hit the glyph first, disappearing in a flash of light, followed at once by Wakka and Lulu. Weighed down by Yuna, Kimahri was second-to-last, with Auron naturally, protectively, bringing up the rear. Yuna half-wondered if Auron would swat Kimahri to make them hit the glyph faster.

Infuriated by the sudden vanishing of its prey, the Elder Drake belched a column of fire that made the air around it shimmer and broke into a full-out gallop, making the ground shake so hard that even sure-footed Kimahri began stumbling. Auron tripped and Yuna gasped as he fell to his knees.

"Auron!"

"Keep going!" He shouted, springing back up; still, the distance lost was appalling. In the time Auron had fallen and gotten back up, the Elder Drake had crossed twenty feet and Kimahri was a hair's length away from the glyph. Yuna saw the Elder Drake leaping into the air for a pounce just as Kimahri hit the sigil and everything turned to light.

Immediately they reformed on the other side and Kimahri sprang off the glyph at once in preparation for Auron appearing there: Yuna pushed off his shoulder, sick with worry. Five seconds squeezed by, seemingly an eternity.

"Hallelujah!" Rikku exclaimed an Al Bhed oath, flinging her hands into the air as light shimmered over the glyph and coalesced into an Auron-shaped figure. Yuna let out an explosive sigh of relief as he stepped off the glyph, apparently fine.

_"I could have sworn that thing had eaten him..."_

It was then she noticed that his red coat was a shade darker than it normally was, as well as sticking to his frame. His face was also shiny red.

_"Dear Yevon, he's covered in blood!"_

"What happened!" Wakka yelped, staring at him with round eyes.

"It tried to eat me," Auron said, sounding disgruntled but unharmed.

"That's not _your_ blood, is it?" Lulu asked worriedly.

Auron shook his head. "I had to cut a circular eight to get out of its mouth."

"A circular eight?" Rikku asked.

Auron demonstrated slowly, passing the gigantic Masamune over his shoulders, around his arms, and even once circling his neck to cut a strangely complex design in the air. Yuna saw at once that this maneuver, done at proper speed, would be deadly.

"It's a close-quarters move for when one finds oneself surrounded by fiends," Auron said, putting his sword on his shoulder. "Quite messy, but effective."

"Effective? You mean it's dead?" Lulu asked.

"Sadly, no. It is, however, missing a good deal of its tongue and its soft palate."

"Tonsillectomy!" Rikku cackled.

Auron snorted. "Something like that." Looking around, he said, "There don't seem to be any fiends here... Why don't we take a rest?"

"Sounds good to me," Wakka said, sitting down at once.

"Stand still," Lulu said, and Auron sputtered as she cast a Water right above his head, drenching him with icy wet. "Sorry about that."

Auron lifted his collar, letting a sheet of water gush over his chest. "...Did it ever occur to you to warn me?"

"You're warned," Lulu said, casting Water again. Auron coughed and glared at her with his good eye.

"Woman, I don't need a bath—"

Lulu ignored him, as did Rikku and Yuna; whenever Auron was close to losing his temper, he reverted to the mannerisms of a traditional Spiran man, meaning chauvinism and sexism. Since he was scrupulously polite the rest of the time, the girls allowed him a few slips here and there. Or appeared to, as Lulu abruptly cut off the rest of Auron's statement with a shot of water square to the face.

"If you feel like letting that blood rot all over you," Lulu said as Auron spat spell-water out of his mouth, "Be my guest. The smell, however, is terrible."

Auron made a sign at Lulu that would have been recognized in Zanarkand and walked away, sitting against the wall and grumbling. Wakka and Rikku hid smirks behind their hands as Lulu sat down, concealing her smile behind her hair. Yuna sat down across from Auron and closed her eyes, intending to relax. But the adrenaline cooling in her system made her yawn instead, and with a vague thought of _"I hope no fiends find us..." _Yuna drifted off to sleep.

/\/\/\/\/\

Author's note:

Swordchucks, yo.

/\

When I wrote this chapter, I forgot about Auron's Shooting Star Overdrive, in which he does whack things around in a Mark McGwire fashion. I just thought the image of Auron whacking Yuna in her hamster ball/barrier was a funny mental image, as well as accomplishing their goals. Someday I intend to draw a picture of that.

/\/\/\/\/\


	35. No, no

Deliver Me

/\/\/\/\/\

This is a Final Fantasy X fanfic, and no characters but my original ones belong to me. All concepts belong to Squaresoft. Except the vampire one, that's mine. MINE.

/\/\/\/\/\

Summary: Blood everywhere!

/\/\/\/\/\

Following the sorcerous lead he had attached to Auron, Seymour tracked the guardians. The ancient magic imbued in the Via Infinito prevented him from sinking through the floors and confronting them directly; it was an anti-fiend measure that ensured the monsters below Bevelle could not escape. Actually it was rather cruel, for the souls of trainee monks that died here could never escape and would so become fiends.

_"As would I, were I to be killed... And admittedly, the chances of that are high. I must change the odds in my favor."_

But Seymour did not look forward to battling with Yuna over control of Auron's soul and aeon; he had a sneaking suspicion she would win if he tried to use Lou-Fuu against her, what with the transformation process being incomplete and all. Yuna jumping into the Great Working had permanently damaged the bonds of servitude that every fayth had built into it and had furthered her link with Auron. Actually, it was entirely possible that _she_ could summon Lou-Fuu against _him_.

_"Is it possible?" _Seymour asked the spirit of Yu Yevon inside him—yes, even that venerable soul had been absorbed.

_"Entirely possible," _Yu Yevon said evenly. Unlike the rest of the powerful souls, Yu Yevon seemed merely content to sit and not fight his captivity. While that made Seymour's life a little bit easier, he couldn't help but wonder what the thousand-year-old summoner of Zanarkand had up his sleeve; one was not awesomely powerful without being awesomely devious as well—unless one were Yuna or Auron, but that was beside the point.

_"I don't think she will summon him, though..." _Seymour thought with a chuckle. _"She likes him the way he is right now... Very much."_

_"Stuff it up your ass, Seymour!" _Tidus bellowed.

_"Boy!" _Jecht shouted. _"Don't let him get to you!"_

Seymour chuckled, this time audibly. Sometimes it was downright amusing, having so many hated enemies confined within him. Their impotent rages made him smile.

The little fiends, as if sensing his presence, wisely stayed out of his way as he descended from cloister to cloister, or maybe that was because of his appearance. To save himself from death on impact, Seymour had exploded himself into pyreflies and reformed at the bottom of the pit. Taking a cue from his brief sojourn as a completely nonhumanoid creature, Seymour had taken time refashioning his shape into something well suited for the long, dark tunnels and tight spaces of the Via Infinito.

_"Something serpentine, like Evrae, but better armored and stronger... A scaled, no, a spined hide that can flay flesh in moments. In these chambers, all I would need to do to get rid of them all would be to flick my tail and they would be pulverized against the walls..."_

He took into consideration every ability that his enemies had used against him. Thick bony plates covered his entire body so no blitzball or grenade could stun him; there were no gaps where swords or spears could pierce through. He shored his magical defenses with his captured souls. When Seymour was done, he looked over himself and grinned approvingly. Completely draconian now, he was streamlined for slaughter. The only traces of his mortal existence were the silver-blue veins that ran over his night-black hide, and his face—he couldn't very well dispense with that. He did, however, give himself shark's teeth. So lovely, so white, so beautifully intimidating and efficient.

Seymour chuckled and slithered to the next glyph, murder shining in his reptilian eyes.

/\

Some floors below, Auron suddenly woke up, disturbed. Looking swiftly around, he only saw his fellow guardians, sleeping as peacefully as one could in a dank dungeon. Nevertheless, the sense of disquiet remained and Auron looked upwards, where he felt—where he knew—Seymour was. Auron rubbed his chest, idly wondering when the best time to destroy him would be.

_"Because I _will_ follow the line that connects us, despite Yuna's orders... It's a chance for his permanent destruction."_

He contemplated going just then, but a small noise made him turn and he saw Yuna yawn, rubbing her eyes. A rue smile touched his lips as he thought, _"I can't get away with anything, can I?"_

"Mm, good morning," she said with a little smile.

"Good morning," he murmured back. As always, the sight of her innocent, smiling face and creamy white skin made his stomach go tight with hunger, but as before he was becoming accustomed to the pain. That was not to say it was anything less than the gut-imploding, organ-wrenching agony it had been since Seymour had blood-cursed him, but at least he didn't have to walk with one fist shoved into his stomach all the time.

"How do you feel?" She asked.

"Same," he replied, settling deeper into his robe. Why was it so damn cold in the Via Infinito? What he would give for a hot drink right now... A regular hot drink, he told himself sternly, not blood fresh from the jugular.

Yuna looked at him for a time that was not quite a studied look and not quite a glance before turning skywards. Unspoken, he could see the question in her eyes.

_"When do you think he'll catch up to us?"_

"He's coming," Auron said softly, making her look at him. "Slowly but surely, he's coming."

"We'll be ready," Yuna said firmly.

Auron nodded. "Yes... Yuna, remember that solution we discussed?"

"Solution?" Yuna looked at him curiously, tilting her head. Auron opened his mouth to explain before she abruptly paled, remembering their talk. "Oh... I see."

"It may be the right time to implement it," he said, rubbing his chest. The sorcerous lead tingled between his fingers.

She nodded, much to his surprise; Yuna hadn't much liked the idea of him going into Seymour to fight him alone the first time he'd suggested it, so what had changed? He watched her as she stood up and walked over to him, taking a seat at his side. She looked mildly, inexplicably frightened.

"Yuna?" Auron asked, frowning. "What's wr—"

And then he saw it. The little razor that Lulu had used to slice open her fingers was in Yuna's hand now, and as if in slow motion, Yuna tremblingly cut across her wrist, fear as much as pain making her draw a jagged line. Auron's mouth watered more with each millimeter of skin she scored.

_"That's... That's not what I meant..." _A part of his mind babbled. _"I meant it's time for me to go fight Seymour. You stop that this instant, young lady, you put that thing away at once..."_

"Just...don't bite," Yuna said with a soft, weak laugh. Her hair fell over her eyes, shading her expression as she wiped the razor clean and tucked it back into her sleeve; tricky, tricky. She must have learned that from Rikku. Yuna turned to look at him, her face pale but determined, as she held up her sluggishly bleeding wrist.

Auron could only stare. His body had become utterly paralyzed with horror. That Yuna could spill her blood so easily while he and the others had fought so hard to maintain it made him ill. Yet part of his paralysis was also that of a starving man suddenly faced with a feast—was it real? Was it for him? Where should one start, and how was one ever to finish?

Vaguely he was aware that neither of them had moved, and hadn't done so for quite some time. He measured their bizarre moment in the slow track of blood down Yuna's white arm, trickling from her wrist to her elbow and leaving a long crimson line dribbling down her arm. It shone bright red in his vision, almost giving off a light of its own in the darkness of the Via Infinito, and Auron found himself a moth to its imagined flame. He jerked his head away, covering his eyes.

"No," he whispered. "No, no, no..."

"Sir Auron..."

"No, no, no..."

A sudden roar from above made him jump and Auron looked up, hearing Wakka come awake with a loud snort of surprise. The ceiling shook with the impact of heavy bodies and dust flaked down as some sort of titanic struggle raged above. Auron jumped to his feet, part alarm and part 'Seymour-sense' as the sorcerous lead coming out of his chest yanked painfully tight.

"What's happening?!" Rikku demanded, scrambling to her feet.

"Move," Auron said tersely as the sounds of battle abruptly stopped. "Get to the next glyph, hurry."

"Is it Seymour?" Lulu asked sharply.

Auron nodded and at once there was a flurry of action; weapons and armor were re-checked, glances were nervously thrown at the 'up' glyph; a second later they were trotting down the long hall, ears keen for the distinctive 'shing' of the portal being activated. Auron clutched his chest as Seymour's nearness made the forced magic in him burn, exacerbating the hunger that had, only seconds ago, been so close to being sated. The edge of his vision began to turn red with frustration and anger, and he had to grit his teeth to stop from growling.

A low, mocking laugh suddenly filled the cloister and Auron looked over his shoulder. His one eye widened as he saw the bizarre creature slithering after them, gravity and logic defied as it rasped over the floor and curved around the walls, razor-studded scales screeching piercingly along the stone. In a silver-white blur the creature shot over their heads and landed in front of them, nearly crushing Rikku. The group sprang back, staring at the spiny serpent in front of them in horror as it undulated before them, a serrated horror that gave no avenue of escape.

"Any idea what that is?" Wakka shakily asked Auron.

"I'm hurt," the fiend said as it turned around, and more than once person screamed as they recognized the source behind its rippling, multitoned voice. Seymour—and yet not Seymour, not with such a savage mouth, not with such malice—covered the entire range of sound: baritone, bass, alto, soprano in a grating, whistling voice that went to the guardians' bones and made them ache. "After all we've been through..." He chuckled, rising above the floor.

Auron at once could see that the situation was bad, very bad. Seymour was directly in front of them, blocking their escape, and going up would only put them back with the Elder Drake—though looking at the blood smearing Seymour's blue-black hide, it seemed likely the transformed half-Guado had finished it. He had probably constricted it and flayed it to death, what with his new serpentine form and the flickering blades that studded his skin like shards of diamond. Seymour's face, only vaguely human, split in a grin to reveal rows upon rows of broken-glass teeth.

"Starting to understand?" He asked tauntingly, rising in a sinuous ripple of muscle above the guardians. "There's no way out of here... Death awaits you all, and after you, Spira..."

Auron saw Yuna stealthily reaching into her sleeve. What was she doing? All of a sudden Auron remembered that Shelinda had given her something...

"_It's a prototype for a fiend-catcher that a team of Crusader mages designed. Right now all it can do is stun, but you never know when that might come in handy."_

"You're pathetic," Auron said, hoping to buy some time.

"What?" Seymour turned to face him, eyes blazing.

"Look at you, you're not even human anymore!" Auron said, gesturing at him. "You've forgotten your purpose for being here... You're a fiend!"

"My purpose was always destruction," Seymour hissed maliciously. "And if I'm a fiend, so be it. The end justifies the means..." Rippling like an oily sea, Seymour rose until his head touched the ceiling and hissed, "I must needs repay you for what you said about my mother..."

With a sideways flick of her hand, Yuna tossed the fiend-catcher right under Seymour's coils. It hit the ground and skittered directly below him with a scraping noise, and Seymour glanced down, moving one coil ponderously to inspect the sphere.

"What useless trinket is this?" He demanded scornfully.

It was then that the sphere flicked on with a 'veen!' and a single beam of white light, like a thrown Soft, suddenly shot out of it. The light hit Seymour approximately in the chest and he froze like a statue in the middle of the hall. For a moment the group stared, unable to believe that immobilizing him had been that easy.

"Got any more of those, Yuna?" Wakka asked, looking at his summoner. He sighed when she shook her head, smiling sadly.

"Get around him, quickly," Auron said tersely.

"Shouldn't we—" Lulu started to say, but Yuna shook her head.

"We have no idea how long it'll last," she explained.

"And the battle conditions are hardly favorable," Auron added with a nod to the narrow walls and low ceiling. The group hastened to escape, but it was not easy. Before becoming frozen, Seymour had wound his coils around the tunnel so it was impossible to reach the exit glyph without climbing under or over him. As the guardians quickly discovered, even a brush against Seymour's razored hide led to bloody scrapes. Auron had to stuff his collar in his mouth so he could chew on something other than his teammates.

"I hate this," Wakka said as he gingerly pulled himself over one of Seymour's coils; the body the half-Guado had formed was extremely large, and one coil was at least five feet tall. Wakka's chest was crisscrossed with bleeding red and his yellow pants were frayed. "Can't we just stuff a grenade down his mouth or something?"

"I'm not getting that close to him!" Rikku said, hopping down from a coil. "Besides, he'd just come back again."

"Less talking, more climbing!" Auron snapped, his voice muffled by his collar.

"Hey Auron, I've got an idea," Rikku said, unfazed by his temper. "What if you, like, put me on your sword and then swat me to the other side?"

"No."

"But you swatted Yunie!"

"That was different."

"Oh, I get it. You only want to swat Yuna, you dirty old man."

Auron, who had just climbed on top of a coil, turned around to glare at her, but at that moment Seymour's body twitched; the movement ripped Auron's pants from the knee down and sent him tumbling face-first to the floor. Yuna, who had had her palms on Seymour's hide, cried out as the movement flayed the skin from her flesh.

"Oh, crap-monkeys!" Rikku yelled, angry and afraid. She suddenly screamed again, but this time for a different reason.

"I must be losing my mind," Lulu said from near the exit glyph. Auron did a double-take; when had she gotten there? The answer became apparent as Lulu quickly levitated Rikku over to her, dropped her on the ground, and then picked up Yuna in the same way.

Kimahri spear-vaulted over two of Seymour's coils, landing safely on the other side as Seymour's draconian body shifted, rippling like midnight waves. Taking advantage of the movement, Wakka dove under the nearest coil, dodged the razor edge of another, and sprinted over to join the group by the exit glyph; for a six-and-a-half foot man, he moved startlingly fast. Auron looked up and found himself surrounded by Seymour's abrasive hide, and with no exit offered by the shifting, rotating coils.

"Shit," he swore softly. Raising his voice, he shouted, "Get to the next floor!" even as Seymour tightened, and Auron barely had enough time to encase himself in a spherical barrier before the shredding scales would have caught him. At once he was plunged into darkness and the rasping shriek of Seymour ineffectually trying to constrict him scratched his ears. Auron sighed in relief and sat down on the floor of his barrier; it didn't take much for him to put one up, and a perfect sphere was well-nigh unbreakable, so he had some breathing space...

Or at least he thought he did until Seymour re-coiled, gripping the barrier ball in such a way that Auron could see his teammates staring at him helplessly as Seymour drew him into the air. Auron turned around and nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw Seymour's grinning face leering at him from the other side of the barrier.

"Hehehe," Seymour cackled, sending chills down Auron's spine, and with a negligent flick of his coils, began shaking him.

Auron was flung around like a rag doll in the unbreakable confines of his own barrier ball. The blunt impact of being slammed back and forth against the curved surface would have been bad enough, but in all this time Auron hadn't let go of the Masamune. In a matter of seconds, Auron's own sword shredded him alive.

/\/\/\/\/\

Author's note:

Ew, guts. Gore. Blah.

As for Lulu grabbing Rikku and Yuna and levitating them to where she was, recall the 'unconscious Auron' chapter, where Lulu says that levitation is how people recognize black magic talent in a child... Yes, it's something I completely made up. A majestically flying Lulu makes me smile.

/\/\/\/\/\

I actually had this chapter finished a long time ago, and once upon a time I dreamed of a chapter buffer. ::sigh:: Better late than never?

I also found some Deliver Me doodles I did years ago. I'll post them with the next chapter.

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End file.
